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Mrudul Godbole
16-11-2009, 02:00 PM
NEW DELHI: The Centre has said no permit has been issued to Assam for "domestication of wild elephants for government duties", even as the state has asked for lifting of the ban on trapping marauding wild tuskers to contain the man-animal conflict there.

"The Wildlife Act permits only capture of wild elephant in case it threatens human life. No such permission has been given to Assam in recent times," A N Prasad, director, Project Elephant (PE), said.

Prasad, who is also the Inspector General of Forests, made the remark when asked about the recent reported statement of Assam Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain that the state government needs to "acquire wild elephants and domesticate them for government duties".

He also dismissed the claim by Hussain that "trapping wild pachyderms will also help contain the man-elephant conflict".

Assam has been asking the Centre for lifting the ban on using 'kunki' (domesticated) elephants to trap wild ones which were destroying foodcrops.

"We have placed before the Central government the need to resume 'mela shikaar' to capture marauding wild elephants that destroy houses and crops," Hussain had said during a forest ministers' conclave in New Delhi recently.

'Mela shikaar' is a traditional method of capturing wild tuskers using domesticated and trained elephants.

Link - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/No-domestication-of-pachyderms-for-govt-use-Project-Elephant-/articleshow/5232649.cms

Sabyasachi Patra
16-11-2009, 09:01 PM
In the olden days, man had mastered the technique of trapping elephants and used to get them do pull heavy loads like logs etc from the forests. They were successfully used in warfare in the past, till the use of cannons changed the nature of warfare. However, I am not sure why the Assam Government still needs elephants in these days. It seems one of the reasons given by the Assam Government is to use elephants in ferrying tourists in the wildlife sanctuaries and for transporting voting machines to remote areas. Even in remote areas people can trek and carry the machines. Tourists can go by gypsy and in some areas treks can be allowed. It is unfortunate that the wildlife tourism is so disruptive that wild elephants have to captured for tourists.

Human-elephant conflict cannot be reduced by capturing elephants. Elephants need vast areas to move around and feed. Unfortunately, most of their corridors are cutoff due to encroachment. We have been intruding into their territory. Instead of finding the root cause of the conflict, we are jumping into the so called solutions that suit a few.

The maker (you can call him God) had never designed elephants to lead a chained life. They were born free and need to be free.

Sabyasachi

Lakshminarayanan Nataraja
18-11-2009, 08:57 PM
Good news indeed.

There is a discussion that about 90 elephants from various temples in Tamilnadu are planned to be shifted to Mudumalai and Anaimalai elephant camps. Need to check whether this is true and feasible.

A discussion in this forum on release of tamed elephants in to semi wild conditions will be very good.