TB infected elephants not to be used for tourist rides in Amer Fort: Rajasthan govt

New Delhi: The Rajasthan government on Thursday directed the Department of Archaeology and Museums to segregate, quarantine and ensure that the ten elephants found to be suffering from tuberculosis are not used as rides for Amer Fort.

The move by comes after a plea from animal rights groups including the Humane Rights Society International/India (HSI India) and People for Animals for the contagious elephants to be quarantined.

"We welcome the news of infected elephants being quarantined and not being used at rides. However, segregation is not enough," said N G Jayasimha, managing director HSI India, in a statement to PTI. He added that there need to be better living conditions for elephants so that the spread of diseases can be contained.

On June 1, a court had directed the Jaipur police department to investigate instances of cruelty against elephants used to provide joy rides at the Amer Fort and submit a report before it.

According to an examination conducted by the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) during December 2017 to March 2018 at Hathi Gaon, ten elephants were found to be suffering from tuberculosis.

Animal rights activists had asked the Union Health Ministry on June 18 to quarantine elephants infected with tuberculosis in Jaipur's Amer Fort and screen all the untested animals which are "forced" to give rides to tourists, as the disease can spread from animals to humans.


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Tusker dies of heart related ailment at Nagarahole Elephant Camp

A 46 year-old Tusker 'Airavata', housed at Mathigodu Elephant Camp in Nagarahole National Park died of heart related ailment.



Project Tiger Director R Ravishankar said that the elephant, which was captured last year near Pachikallu Hills in Nelamangala, was also suspected to have died of Tuberculosis. During the postmortem by veterinarian Dr Mujeeb it was seen water was accumulated on the upper side of the heart and the elephant may have died of due to this reason.


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Court orders police to probe cruelty against elephants used for joyrides in Jaipur's Amber Fort

Jaipur: A Jaipur court has directed the police department to investigate into cruelty against elephants used for providing joy rides at the Amber Fort and submit a report before it.

The court of additional chief metropolitan magistrate has also directed the police to register an FIR against accused involved in animal abuse and cruelty, as per the order copy.

Petitioner Gauri Maulekhi, the trustee of People for Animals, had moved the court seeking relief to the animals under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, stating that nearly 103 elephants at the Amber Fort are being ill-treated and forced to carry load more than the prescribed limits and are suffering from several health problems.

Citing a recent Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) report, a petition was filed.


Hearing the petition on Thursday and looking into the AWBI report, the court ordered to get the matter investigated by the police and file an FIR against accused involved in animal cruelty, the petitioner said.

As per the examination conducted by the AWBI during December 2017 to March 2018 at Hathi Gaon, 19 captive elephants of the 102 elephants were observed to be blind, either unilaterally or bilaterally, rendering them unfit for any work. Ten elephants were found to be suffering from tuberculosis and 28 were found to be above 50 years of age. Moreover, the elephants were found to be under severe psychological distress. The tusks of 47 elephants appeared to have been cut. The elephants were seen carrying loads heavier than 200 kg, the report said.


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Suffering elephants giving joy rides to tourists at Amber fort

Jaipur, Apr 24 (PTI) Elephants offering joy rides to tourists at the iconic Amber Fort here have been found to be suffering from blindness and tuberculosis and are often forced to carry loads heavier than 200 kg, an examination of over 100 elephants at the spot has found.

As per the examination conducted by the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) during December 2017 to March 2018 at Hathi Gaon, 19 captive elephants of the 102 elephants were observed to be blind, either unilaterally or bilaterally, rendering them unfit for any work. 10 elephants were found suffering from tuberculosis and 28 were found to be above 50 years of age.

Elephants were found to be under severe psychological distress. The tusks of 47 elephants appeared to have been cut. The elephants were seen carrying loads heavier than 200 kg, the report said.

Elephant rides are a major tourist attraction at Amber Fort.

There were 132 privately owned captive elephants in Rajasthan in January 2015, 110 in 2016 and 102 in 2017, it said. As per the report, out of the 102 elephants, matters related to legal compliance of keeping and using 53 elephants are pending before the magistrate court in Jaipur and hence the matter is subjudice.

48 elephants seem to have been issued illegitimate ownership certificates by the Rajasthan Forest Department (RFD) as they mention ‘source of purchase’ and ‘present market value’ of the elephant. Both these citations indicate commercial value of an elephant, which is prohibited under the law, the report said.

Based on the compilation of observations and its interpretations as per important legal provisions, guidelines of Ministry of Environment and Forest and parameters set by AWBI in its application form, the report said none of the 102 elephants qualifies all the criteria set for registration with the AWBI under PARR, 2001. “No elephant can be registered for offering rides at Amer Fort due to load restrictions mandated by the MoEF guidelines and other provisions of the law,” it said. The report also recommended an inquiry into the current practice of cutting tusks without taking necessary permission from the forest department and into why there are two elephant calves in private custody in Jaipur, in rampant violation of wildlife protection laws. Additionally, the accurate number of captive elephant population in Rajasthan also needs to be ascertained, it said.

Animal rights activists have demanded a complete ban on atrocities on animals.

“Shocking report of blind and TB-infected elephants has come to fore after examination. The elephants are forced to carry backbreaking loads day in and day out. The rides must stop,” PETA India Lead Public Policy Officer Nikunj Sharma said He said PETA India is asking authorities to intervene and protect these suffering elephants.


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HC asks govt to shift elephant affected by TB from Nilgiris

Times of India
7 May 2009

CHENNAI: Concerned at the possibility of wild elephants contracting tuberculosis from a captive elephant that is affected with the disease, the Madras high court has asked the government to immediately shift the TB-affected temple elephant out of the Theppakkadu elephant camp in the Nilgiris.

The 58-year-old Andal, an elephant of Madurai Kallalagar Temple, was taken to the camp in the Nilgiris for treatment on January 28.

Objecting to their presence in the Nilgiris, which is home to several hundreds of wild elephants, a public interest writ petition was filed by Elephant G Rajendran, who contended that unless the TB-affected Andal is shifted out of the sanctuary region immediately, many free-ranging pachyderms too would catch infection.

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