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Trunk call for change: Tradition shouldn’t mean cruelty to elephants

Trunk call for change: Tradition shouldn’t mean cruelty to elephants

An elephant panicked and fled while carrying a heavy howdah at the Shivamogga Dasara in Karnataka on October 21, narrowly avoiding loss of human lives. Animal welfare advocates stated that captive elephants suffer trauma from loud noises and heavy crowds during religious festivals. Lawyer Alok Hisarwala Gupta, founder of the Centre for Research on Animal Rights, noted that a 2022 amendment to the 1972 Wildlife (Protection) Act permitted live elephant transfers by certificate holders under government rules, while wealthy temples and groups like the Kerala Elephant Owners Association continue to resist changes. Suparna Ganguly, co-founder and trustee of Compassion Unlimited Plus Action (CUPA) and Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (WRRC), stated, “If the public could only understand that they need to protect what they love.” Advocates point to mechanical elephants as a safer alternative for processions, following precedents such as the use of fiberglass hornbill casques in Arunachal. Readers can support alternatives to live animal use by urging event organizers to adopt mechanical replicas during local festivals.

Sources

The Times of India

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