PETITION CLOSED

  • The time period for signing this petition has ended.
  1. Signatures
    952 out of 2,000
    Petitioning
    1. Statutory Body under the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Govt. of India (Central Zoo Authority)
  2. Created By
    Clare Cassar
    Cheltenham, United Kingdom
About this Petition Petition Letter Petition Updates

Last year, the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) in India promised to re-home 140 elephants living in zoos across India to safari parks and sanctuaries where the normally free-roaming animals can graze openly. But this week, The Times (UK) reported that, several months later, not a single elephant has been transferred.

The Central Zoo Authority issued an order to India's 26 zoos to shift the animals to more spacious environments where they would be supervised by elephant keepers. Elephants in 16 circuses across India were also to be moved to new location after an evaluation revealed sub-standard living conditions.

At the Aurangabad Municipal Zoo, one elephant - an animal that in the wild would spend up to 18 hours a day roaming, feeding, bathing and socialising - had both front legs tethered permanently with a spiked chain.

That information is all the more shocking as India's zoo elephants fare relatively well. The worst treated are those kept in circuses, followed by temple elephants, working elephants and those used for begging. 

Saturday June 20th is The International Day of Action for Elephants in Zoos - so please join me in writing to the Central Zoo Authority of India to keep its promise to the elephants.

Recent Signatures

Please Keep Your Promise to the Elephants of India

Dear Central Zoo Authority, Government of India,

I am writing to urge you to keep the promise you made last year to the Elephants in India.

It has, with great sadness, come to my attention that after you announced in November last year to rehome 140 of India's elephants held captive in zoos and circuses across India, not a single one of these elephants have been rehomed, no new parks have been created and no funds have been allocated for them.

These animals deserve the right to live free of chains or being forced to entertain India's tourists. I am horrified at the appalling images and videos at the Aurangabad Municipal Zoo, where one elephant has both front legs tethered permanently with a spiked chain.

You made a promise to these elephants and I am urging you to uphold this promise. The world is watching and hoping that India can set an example in Animal Welfare.

[Your name]

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