Idukki (Kerala), Following the tragic death of a mahout at the hands of a jumbo named Lakshmi last week in an allegedly illegally managed elephant park in this upscale district of Kerala, animal rights organization PETA has urged the state wildlife department to rehabilitate the pachyderm in a sanctuary.
India's People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has also called for the permanent closure of all illegal safari parks in Kerala and the rehabilitation of all elephants kept in captivity there, the organization said in a statement.
"Elephants that have spent years chained, intimidated and threatened with weapons are known to attack, attack in fear and frustration.
"PETA India is appealing to the wildlife chief to immediately protect Lakshmi and any humans who may encounter her by sending her to a sanctuary for care and to close all illegal parks that dangerously force elephants into transporting tourists," said PETA India Advocacy Director Khushboo Gupta. he said in the statement.
PETA India, in its statement, also cited other incidents in which captive elephants attacked, injured and killed people in the southern state.
He said many captive elephants in India, including Kerala, are held illegally or have been transported from one state to another without permission.
"Elephants are wild animals, and training them for use in ceremonies, rides, tricks, and other purposes is accomplished by violently dominating them, including beating them into submission and using weapons to inflict pain.
"Many elephants kept captive in temples and used for rides suffer extremely painful foot problems and leg injuries due to being chained to concrete for hours on end. Most of them are denied adequate food, water, veterinary care and any appearance of a natural animal," the statement said.
Elephants living in such conditions become intensely frustrated and lash out, sometimes killing mahouts, devotees, tourists or other humans, he said.
PETA India further said that according to the Heritage Animal Task Force, captive elephants killed 526 people in Kerala over a period of 15 years.
"PETA India encourages the use of realistic mechanical elephants or other non-animal means in place of real elephants and advocates that elephants already in captivity be removed to sanctuaries where they can live without chains and in the company of other elephants, healing psychologically and physically from the trauma of years of isolation, captivity and abuse," the statement said.
India's People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has also called for the permanent closure of all illegal safari parks in Kerala and the rehabilitation of all elephants kept in captivity there, the organization said in a statement.
"Elephants that have spent years chained, intimidated and threatened with weapons are known to attack, attack in fear and frustration.
"PETA India is appealing to the wildlife chief to immediately protect Lakshmi and any humans who may encounter her by sending her to a sanctuary for care and to close all illegal parks that dangerously force elephants into transporting tourists," said PETA India Advocacy Director Khushboo Gupta. he said in the statement.
PETA India, in its statement, also cited other incidents in which captive elephants attacked, injured and killed people in the southern state.
He said many captive elephants in India, including Kerala, are held illegally or have been transported from one state to another without permission.
"Elephants are wild animals, and training them for use in ceremonies, rides, tricks, and other purposes is accomplished by violently dominating them, including beating them into submission and using weapons to inflict pain.
"Many elephants kept captive in temples and used for rides suffer extremely painful foot problems and leg injuries due to being chained to concrete for hours on end. Most of them are denied adequate food, water, veterinary care and any appearance of a natural animal," the statement said.
Elephants living in such conditions become intensely frustrated and lash out, sometimes killing mahouts, devotees, tourists or other humans, he said.
PETA India further said that according to the Heritage Animal Task Force, captive elephants killed 526 people in Kerala over a period of 15 years.
"PETA India encourages the use of realistic mechanical elephants or other non-animal means in place of real elephants and advocates that elephants already in captivity be removed to sanctuaries where they can live without chains and in the company of other elephants, healing psychologically and physically from the trauma of years of isolation, captivity and abuse," the statement said.
