THE ELEPHANT IN SRI LANKA Part 9
Posted on October 6th, 2021

KAMALIKA PIERIS

In 2021, to the dismay of the anti-Buddhist NGOs, there was a reversal.  Pohottu government issued a gazette, the Fauna and Flora (Protection, Well-being and Regularization of Registration) of Tamed Elephants Regulations No. 01 of 2021 which allowed for the registration of un-registered elephants.

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) then informed the Colombo Magistrate that it was not possible to continue with the cases against those who were charged with the illegal possession of elephants because the new gazette notification allows for the post- registration of the animals. 14   elephants were then released to their original keepers who were told they had to register the elephants under their names within three months.

These 14 elephants belong to the 39 elephants had been seized from the hands of their owners in 2016 because the owners did not have valid registration papers for them. The elephants have been living for the past few years at the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage.

One such elephant was Bhanu. Officials of the Wildlife Department took ‘Bhanu’ into their custody in October 2016 as the Ruhunu Kataragama Devalaya was unable to show registration. The tusker was handed over to the Department of National Zoological Gardens and was kept at the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage until it was transferred to the Ridiyagama Safari Park.

‘Bhanu’, which had been roaming free at the Ridiyagama Safari Park in Hambantota since September 2019 was returned to the Ruhunu Kataragama Devalaya in keeping with a court order. It is heart breaking to imagine the suffering Bhanu and the other 14 elephants will have to undergo as they would have to be corralled once again be in chains for the rest of their lives said the elephant loving NGOs.

The court’s order to release the elephants to the suspects have drawn strong protests from wildlife activists. Multiple legal actions are being prepared to challenge the gazette and the two court decisions. Environmental groups and other lawyers said that the Colombo Magistrate’s final order of September 6 regarding the release of elephants was erroneous and should be set aside. A court case pending under existing regulations should be concluded according to the legal framework at the time the case was filed.

The Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) said it has filed a writ in the Court of Appeal for an order to return the 14 elephants to government care. It was preparing documents for an appeal to review the Magistrate Court orders and will also challenge the gazette notice.

They say they will seek a stay order on the implementation of the gazette notification. They were of the opinion that the ruling will encourage the capture of baby elephants from the wild. They also note that although previous wildlife regulations had banned the use of elephants in commercial activities, this gazette had laid out guidelines to using elephants for rides.

Sunil Dharmabandu, a dedicated animal lover residing in the UK said that Buddhist monks who keep elephants in their temples are only concerned about the prestige value they bring, the more elephants they have, the better and of course, there is the income that they bring in.

Caparisoned elephants and a tusker carrying the relics watched by spectators annually in different parts of the country must stop. The perahera elephants marched for days on end so tourists and locals can feel ‘blessed’, said Sunil

Buddhism has no place for pomp and pageantry inflicting cruelty on animals! Lay Buddhists have been hoodwinked throughout by cunning monks into believing that elephants are part and parcel of our “culture”.  Elephants are wild animals that should be returned to their natural habitat, and any risks carefully managed by moving them to sanctuaries for greater protection, continued Sunil.

Buddhists could boycott all temples who imprison elephants in their precincts and engage in peaceful protests outside, campaign in every possible way, make representations to local and government authorities, environmentalists and seek international support .

Animal lovers and rights activists who show genuine compassion for these hapless and magnificent creatures should co-coordinate their actions worldwide to make such cruel practices in the name of Buddhism not tolerated anymore, concluded Sunil.

S.A.Abeyratne, wrote from USA in June 2016,   saying, as a veterinarian I am aware of the importance of elephant feet care. All their huge weight rests on this. In USA the feet of an elephant are cleaned and washed twice daily. All four feet should be provided with pad trim and nails filed once in two weeks. Also they need to wag their ears, to get rid of sweat. When the ears are covered with sheath, as in the perahera, they cannot do this.  At festivals they are not given proper care or food,  in the wild they eat small amounts of grass all day long. When domesticated they get only one meal a day. That too is a small amount of leaves.

Elephants must be registered and  annually examined, he advised. There must be rules on care of elephants, including cleaning and care of elephant feet, worming, and vaccinations. The mahouts must be trained, they  must pass an exam, be registered as mahouts,  and  tested for liquor at perahera.  Veterinarians must be present at perahera and they must be trained in elephant control.

 The NGOs say the elephant is a ‘wild animal’ that  should be in the forest. The toenails will get   trimmed  naturally  as the elephant  moves around in the forest, but what about worming and vaccination, asked critics. (continued)

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