Rajasthan declares 20 elephants for tourist rides at Amer Fort
The Rajasthan Government ordered the removal of 20 medically unfit elephants from tourist rides at Amer Fort in Jaipur, the pink city.
Three elephants have tested positive for tuberculosis, while 11 elephants have impaired vision, along with other ailments.
Their medical tests were conducted in July 2020, as 4 elephants have already died at Amer Fort in September 2020.
Less than 20, 000 wild elephants are left in India. The Asian elephant has been on the official IUCB endangered species list since 1986. The world population of elephants, the ancient, highly intelligent, family-oriented, emotional, and sensitive species declined to just 40, 000 today, down from more than a million at the beginning of the 20th century. Today there are 10, 000 elephants captive across South East Asia and most are living in isolating and appalling conditions. The scale of suffering experienced by elephants is “severe” according to the animal rights NGO which assessed 3, 000 elephants living in 220 venues in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Nepal, Sir Lanka, and India between 2014 and late 2016 and found captive elephants have been found to live shorter lives, experience behavioural problems, are more likely to develop chronic diseases and are less likely to reproduce. The majority of captive elephants are taken from the wild where just 50, 000 remain in Asia. Elephant tourism remains popular because it can be a “ hidden form of cruelty”.
Most tourists who enjoy elephant rides and perform tricks without harming people only because they have been broken as babies and taught to fear the bullhook, as don’t know the mistreatment and abuse of elephants in captivity. The wildlife tourism industry caters to people’s love of animals but often seeks to maximise profits by exploiting animals from birth to death.
The global tourism industry fuelling the demise of elephants and has been urged to boycott all forms of elephant entertainment and spread the truth about the “ behind the scenes” cruelty endured by elephants for entertainment. Save The Asian Elephants calls on India and the other South Asian states to end elephant attractions to implement their existing laws to ensure the proper treatment and care of elephants already in captivity and to move them to designated sanctuaries or the vast reserved forests. The abuse of Asian elephants is barbaric, beating and torturing elephants snatched from the wild for tourist entertainment is a tragic stain at the brink of extinction. Meena a four-year-old shackled elephant wearing spiked chains because they tend to kick at Maetaman Elephant Adventure near Chaing Mai, in Northern Thailand.