HC urges officials to empathise with captive elephants, not keep them chained for long hours

Reiterating its earlier view that the private ownership of captive elephants must be put an end to in the future, the first bench led by the Chief Justice along with Justice PD Audikesavalu, said, “We don’t know what the situation is, but in the name of religion, it does not mean the big elephant that is used to the wild is kept confined only in concrete for the entire duration of the day without being let out though you have resources. It is also time to stop any more elephants being domesticated or taken into captivity except in case of injury of like disability,” the bench held. 

Observing that even if human beings give what they perceive to be tender loving care to animals kept captive, the animal may still have other needs owing to their wild instinct, the Chief Justice sought to ensure that the elephants are kept in a green expanse, where they can roam around freely and brought to the temples as and when required. 

The bench, during the hearing, also made it known that it prefers to hold a hearing at places where captive elephants are kept so that the court can directly discern how the elephants are being treated. Seeking the Principal Conservator of forests to file a fresh report in this regard within four weeks, the court said, “It is necessary for the officials in the Forest Department to obtain expert advice as to how the daily routines of captive elephants should be.”