Central Government Orders Kerala To Report On Action Taken Against Cruelty To Elephants During Thrissur Pooram

Thrissur – In advance of Thrissur Pooram, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change’s Project Elephant has issued a letter ordering Kerala authorities to enforce the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972; the Guidelines for Care and Management of Captive Elephants, 2008; and The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and to report back on action taken to prevent cruelty to elephants. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India notes that this is a positive step but that only an end to elephant use can eliminate abuse altogether.

The letter refers to the submission of an investigation report by PETA India that revealed rampant cruelty to elephants during the 2017 Thrissur Pooram festival, where elephants with open wounds, painful abscesses, cracked nails, impaired vision, and lameness were paraded. Mahouts were caught hitting the animals with ankuses – illegal weapons with a sharp hook on one end – and wooden sticks. Many elephants were denied access to drinking water, some were forced to walk and stand on hot tar roads for hours with no shade, and many were hobbled with short, heavy chains that severely restricted their movement.

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