CHENNAI: After illegal elephant trade was busted in Assam, the Tamil Nadu Forest Department has begun scrutinising all elephant ownership certificates. The Assam Forest department said 61 elephants leased to other States since 2008 had not been traced. According to a report from Assam’s Wildlife Crime Prevention Unit in December 2007, 259 captive elephants transported outside the State between 2003 and 2007 have not returned.
Subsequently, a meeting held by the Director-General (Forests) of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change on October 9 in New Delhi, which was attended by senior IFS officers from all leading States, proposed a few policy changes to curb illegal elephant trade.
State Chief Wildlife Warden Sanjay Kumar Srivastava, who attended the meeting told Express, “I have instructed all district forest officers to examine ownership documents of elephants transported from other States. For instance, there may be cases where ownership certificates are issued by Assam or Bihar forest departments and the owner sells the animals in the guise of leasing/gifting to a local person for one or two years and the elephant continues to get exploited.”
The official revealed that the department was looking at a few such cases and would act after verification. The recent example is Malachi elephant, whose original owner was in the Andamans but was used for years in Madurai for begging and marriages. Eventually, the department rescued it and moved it to the rehabilitation camp in Tiruchy following High Court orders.
The original microchip number of Malachi was 0064DA686 (as per the Veterinary Officer’s certificate, the Andamans). However, it could not be verified by Madurai officials during the inspection. Later, the microchip number was recorded as 0006477726. After the elephant returned to Madurai, following the court directions, the Forest Veterinary Officer of Coimbatore again inspected the elephant and since the microchip number could not be read, a new microchip number - 000659BB2D - had been implanted.
Animal rights activist Antony Clement Rubin said it was a dubious trade which needed a thorough investigation. “Information obtained though RTIs reveals that a few high-profile individuals and temples are having elephants brought from other States. The elephants are ill-treated and kept in inhospitable conditions.”
Temples too under scanner
Sanjay Kumar Srivastava said a circular had been issued to all District Captive Elephants Monitoring Committees to inspect temple elephants and submit a report on their health. “It has been made mandatory to conduct inspection every three months. The temples have to approach to renew licence every five years and renewal will be cancelled if found in violation of TN Captive Elephants Rules.”
ownership docs
State Chief Wildlife Warden Sanjay Kumar Srivastava instructed all district forest officers to examine ownership documents of elephants transported from other States