Guwahati: The Kerala High Court has temporarily banned the transfer of elephants from other states into Kerala, including Assam, citing concerns over the well-being of captive elephants in the state.
The Court issued an interim order in response to a petition filed by the NGO Walking Eye Foundation, highlighting the high mortality rate among captive elephants in Kerala due to inadequate care.
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The court observed that 154 elephants died in captivity in Kerala between 2018 and August 2024, primarily due to ill-treatment and lack of proper care.
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The interim order, passed by a Division Bench comprising Justices AK Jayasankaran Nambiar and Gopinath P, directs the Kerala government and Chief Wildlife Warden to refrain from issuing permits for elephant transfers under the Captive Elephant (Transfer or Transport) Rules, 2024.
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This move aims to prevent further harm to elephants and ensures that existing captive elephants in Kerala receive better care and treatment. The court’s decision will remain in effect until further orders are issued.
Also Read: WCCB begins probe into illegal elephant trade from Northeast to Kerala
It may be mentioned that several elephants are usually transported from Assam and other northeastern states to Kerala, Gujarat and other similar states.
Often these are down by “managing” top-ranked officials and there has been a sizable number of debates regarding these transfer of elephants.
Several protests have been lodged in connection with these reports but there seems to be little to no solution to it.
In August, the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) launched an investigation into the alleged illegal transfer of captive elephants from the Northeast to Kerala.
The probe was initiated following a complaint from Alok Hasarwala Gupta, the Founder of the Centre for Research on Animal Rights, India.
Gupta filed the complaint based on two media reports including one published in Northeast Now, titled, “Ten elephants illegally transported from Arunachal to Kerala via Assam,” published on June 10, 2024.
Gupta alleged that a notorious elephant trader, Omanakuttan Pillai, with a history of wildlife crimes, was travelling through Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Tripura to procure elephants for the Pooram Festival circuit in Kerala.
In response to the complaint, the Eastern Region of WCCB has written to the chief wildlife wardens of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and Tripura, seeking information regarding illegal commercial trading and transfer of captive elephants from the Northeast to Kerala.
The WCCB has sought details of registered captive elephants, transit permits issued, and cases related to illegal elephant trade and transfer from the forest departments of these states.
Additionally, the bureau has asked for information on cases involving Omanakuttan Pillai and his associates, as well as any incidents of illegal elephant capture from forests.
The WCCB has also directed the Eastern Region Bureau to form a committee to conduct a detailed inquiry and submit a comprehensive report on the matter.
The investigation comes amid concerns over the illegal trade of captive elephants, which violates the Captive Elephant (Transfer or Transport) Rules, 2024, which mandate that genetic profiles of elephants must be entered into an electronic monitoring application.