Poaching, Blocking Migration Paths, Safaris And More Ways We Have Made Earth Hell For Elephants

The nation was left shell shocked after a story of unparalleled animal cruelty surfaced earlier this week, where a pregnant wild elephant was killed after biting on a fruit filled with firecrackers. The horrific act triggered massive condemnation and rightfully so.

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But the reality is that this is not the first incident were elephants, both wild and domesticated ones were on the receiving end of some horrible human actions.

Poaching

Elephants, mostly males are illegally hunted and killed for their tusk (ivory) which is a prized commodity in the international wildlife traded. It is used to make ornaments and other decorative items, which can cost hundreds of dollars in the illegal markets.

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Between 2009 and 2019 India lost as many as 429 elephants to poaching, the government had said, responding to a RTI query.

Deforestation

Despite being the largest land animal, elephants have been left highly vulnerable, mostly due to human activities - one of them being deforestation. As the human population grows there is also a growing need to produce more food to feed them. And more often than not it is the forests that pay the price as they are getting ever increasingly cleared for agricultural purposes and in other cases for its mineral resources.

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But that leaves, the wild animals including elephants deprived of their forests and food, forcing them to enter agricultural land, which were originally forests, in search of food and water. This brings them into direct conflict with humans who often used weapons and in some cases explosive to chases them away. In January 2019, the Supreme Court had in a landmark judgment ruled that the elephants have the first right on the forest.

Cutting off their migratory paths

In the wild, elephants are constant movers and often travel kilometers every day in search of food, water, and mates. But due to 'developmental activities' a lot of their traditional migratory routes have been cut off, by roads, railway tracks, walls, and other constructions. The elephants that are unable to understand what has happened often get killed by speeding trains, trucks, or at times get electrocuted from power lines.

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While these are mostly wild elephants, those that are 'domesticated' are no different. Elephants have been captured from the wild and domesticated for various purposes including logging, to be used as performance animals, begging, safari animals, and religious procession.

Begging

Recently Indiatimes had reported about the rescue and rehabilitation of an elephant that was used for begging in Agra for nearly 40 years. The elephant was tortured and was in terrible shape, both mentally and physically due to the years of abuse.

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Safari animals

In Rajasthan's Amer Fort, one of the biggest attractions is the elephant safari there. Visitors are given a tour up and down the fort on elephant backs. Remember, elephants are not native to a desert state like Rajasthan and they have been brought from states like Bihar and kept in unsuitable conditions to entertain tourists.

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Religious processions

This is one of the most controversial uses of elephants, a practice that is fairly common in Kerala. In some of the most famous temples in the state like the Vadakkumnathan Temple in Thrissur, dozens of decorated elephants are paraded during the annual festivals, which are often in the months of April-May, which is peak summer in the state.

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In the blazing heat, the jumbos are made to walk or stand for hours, without providing adequate food or water. There have been any number of incidents where elephants get spooked by the loud music and firecrackers running wild and killing people.