March 17, 1998

Press Release on allegations regarding cruel
treatment of an elephant

This is with reference to several queries we
have received regarding an elephant in the
custody of Tamil Nadu Forest Department and
allegations regarding cruel treatment to the
animal. Having ascertained the factual position
from the Chief Wildlife Warden of the Tamil Nadu
Forest Department, it can be stated that the
allegations of cruelty are entirely unwarranted.
The factual position is as follows:

A Makhna elephant aged about 35 years was found
to be a danger to the life and property of the
people in Gudalur area of Nilgiri district, Tamil
Nadu. The elephant had been repeatedly raiding
the agricultural crops and was responsible for
the death of about a dozen people during such
raids. On persistent complaints from the people,
it was decided to capture this animal and keep
it in the Forest Department elephant camp,
Theppakkadu, Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary
where about 30 animals are already being kept
for a conservation and breeding programme.
Hence, this animal was tranquilized and
captured with the help of trained elephants
on 21st July 1998 and brought to the elephant
camp.

To train this animal for domesticated life
in the camp, it had to be put in an enclosure
made of logs called a "Kraal", which could
afford sufficiently free movement of the
animal, facilitate feeding and treatment of
its wounds and at the same time restrict any
violent behaviour. On capture, it was also
noticed that the elephant had more than a
dozen gun shot wounds which it had received
during its crop raiding activity. It seems
that some persons, who noticed the elephant
was locked into a limited space and had
wounds on its body, concluded erroneously
that it was being tortured under cruel conditions.
After treating the animal fully for its wounds
and having trained it to obey the commands of
its mahout (trainer), the elephant has now been
let out of the kraal and made part of the herd
maintained in the elephant camp. It is behaving
in a fairly docile manner and has taken well to
camp life. It responds to all commands of its
mahout and looks happy in the company of other
elephants in the camp. It has been named as
"Moorthy".

An amount of more than 150,000 rupees has been
spent on the medication and upkeep of this animal
during its training. One of the best veterinarians
Dr. V. Krishnamoorthy, who is a world authority on
elephants was engaged to treat the animal and a
prescribed balanced diet was provided to it. It has
been fully cured of all its wounds and is leading a
normal life now. Indian mahouts are supposed to be
among the best elephant trainers in the world, who
work without the use of the Ankush (iron hook),
employed elsewhere. The life of this elephant was
under constant threat from certain sections of the
public. Had it not been captured and domesticated,
it would have certainly faced the assassin's bullet
by now. The staff of Tamil Nadu Forest Department
has done a commendable job in saving the life of
the elephant and its work needs to be lauded.

There have also been several suggestions that the
care of the elephant should be handed over to
children or other organisations. This suggestion
is not only unwarranted but also dangerous, as
the animal has already been responsible for death
of 12 persons. The Forestry Department, charged
with the responsibility of handling the wild
animal and ensuring the safety of the people with
whom it comes into contact, is best equipped to
handle such a situation.