Ban Elephant Rides in India
News
World Animal Protection asks the Indian government to ban elephant rides
World Animal Protection, in a letter written to Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Hon’ble Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change and Sri K.J. Alphons, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ministry of Tourism, Govt of India, has urged the government to ban elephant rides in India, rehabilitate all the concerned animals. The organisation is willing to discuss the ramification of the same with the government. World Animal Protection has also highlighted that the exemption given to live elephants in the Section 40 of The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 is being misused to drive the illegal trade of elephants and requested the government to withdraw this exemption.
Elephant was declared the National Heritage Animal in the year 2010, but the condition of elephants used in tourism is miserable.
Earlier this year World Animal Protection had released a report ‘Taken For A Ride’ which showed evidence of extensive abuse in captive elephants across Asia, including India. These elephants are beaten, wounded from their daily chores and show severe stereotypic behaviours.