Ban on temple elephants not possible in Tamil Nadu
There were also voices from the wildlife fraternity insisting that a complete ban on elephants reared in temples is practically not possible.
Chennai: A day after the Samayapuram temple elephant Maasini killed its mahout Gajendran mixed response poured in from wildlife activists on Saturday.
While a section of animal welfare activists demanded a complete ban on elephants in temples across south India, there were also voices from the wildlife fraternity insisting that a complete ban on elephants reared in temples is practically not possible as it is a deeply rooted religious cultural practice endemic to India.
“It's a time the concept of controlling a huge animal like elephant was given up by the state. The elephant is superior breed when compared to humans and needs an independent undisturbed life,” said a senior IFS officer with state forest department strongly recommending the ban on elephants in temples. When elephants are banned in circus due to animal welfare rules, why are you allowing the animal to beg and participate in other religious and commercial activities, he wondered.
“A total ban on elephants in TN temples is the most complex thing to execute. They have been part of religious sentiments and this accident needs a detailed study into the character of both the deceased mahout and the elephant”, said renowned wildlife filmmaker Alphone Roy. This is an aggressive behaviour from the cow elephant and upon examining will throw solutions to handle the captive elephants in a much better way. In Kerala, captive elephants going on a rampage is casual whereas it is rare in Tamil Nadu. TN is better in handling its captive jumbos through the annual elephant camps but needs a regular examining, adds the seasoned conservationist.
“Aggression among elephants is a natural phenomenon and is often stimulated by the increase in sexual hormone levels. Maasini's track record has been clean and what triggered what triggered the animal need to be examined”, opined conservation scientist Dr A. Kumaraguru of Biodiversity Conservation Foundation, Trichy. Elephants are social animals and mahouts should periodically examine their behaviors. To a query on the concept of captive elephants, Kumaraguru defends the foresters. At one side you are losing quality of forests and wild elephants stray and you need kumkhi elephants to stop the aggressive jumbos. Regarding elephants in temples it is for the Centre and states to decide.