Captive elephant numbers on the decline in Kerala

Scorching heat, torture, long hours of parade, and unscientific management take a toll

Caparisoned jumbos in their majestic look is a treat for eyes. But this sought-after sight may become a thing of the past soon if the fast-declining number of captive elephants in Kerala is any indication.

Scorching heat, torture, long hours of parade, and unscientific management are taking a toll. While 29 elephants died in 2021, three elephants have died - two in Thiruvananthapuram and one in Kottayam - so far in 2022. In all 75 elephants have died after the elephant census in 2018, reducing their numbers from 521 to 446.

These gentle animals suffer at the hands of their caretakers when the rules and regulations for their management turn toothless, according to animal activists.

“There is a directive by the Supreme Court in 2018 itself against parading injured elephants. According to it, the owner of the elephant can be arrested under no-bailable charges if an injured elephant is paraded for a function. The Chief Wildlife Warden issued another notice in 2019 that it should be reported if an elephant is sick for more than a week. The elephant will be examined and treated by a committee of veterinary doctors. This notice came after 34 elephants died in 2018 alone,” says V.K. Venkitachalam, Director, Heritage Animal Task Force.

Another directive of the Chief Wildlife Warden says forest officials should visit the place elephants are tethered in 15 days. Most of these laws are violated by the caretakers and no action has been taken against them, he says.

Recently an elephant attacked another elephant during the famous Arattupuzha Pooram. “Elephants were paraded without maintaining the mandatory four-m distance between them,” says the task force. In all, 65 elephants were paraded during the pooram.

A statutory shelter shed is another thing insisted on by the Supreme Court. “Many elephants are tethered under trees. When it rains, they are forced to stand in a slush pool of their own dung, urine, and rainwater. They develop infection on the soft pad under its foot and will find it difficult to stand. It slowly affects their food intake. They become weak and develop diseases such as tuberculosis. Foot infection, tuberculosis, and impaction (Erandakettu) are common reasons for the death of elephants in Kerala,” says the task force.