Stop capturing of wild elephants for use as Kunki elephants by MP Forest Dept.
The Issue
On 20th Nov, one 20 year old male was captured in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, MP. The reason for this capture is given as this is a problematic elephant.
We all know that an herd of around 52 elephants have become resident of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in MP, these elephants have migrated from Chhattisgarh in 2019 and stayed back due to suitable habitat and ample food and water. There are instances of elephants straying out of the protected area and intruding into human habitat and destroying agricultural crops and few instances houses. The reason for any house damage is majorly due to storage of Mahua in this region, and Mahua being favorite to elephants.
Normally male elephants attaining adulthood moves out of the herd and roam around either alone or with other males of same age group. In this case also this male strayed away from the herd and was moving around when the same was captured. As per, WPA 1972 sec 11 any problematic animal can be rescued and shifted to another habitat with written permission from CWLW, in this case the said elephant is declared as problematic and being shifted to Kanha for being trained as a Kunki ( patrolling) elephant and will be in CHAINS for rest of his life.
There was a news in a local newspaper from Bhopal stating that MP forest dept needs 53 elephants in its various tiger reserves for patrolling purpose and currently they have 31 elephants, the balance 23 will be captured from this herd or other herds present in MP currently ( herd of around 52 in Bandhavgarh, herd of around 32 elephants in Kotma and around 16 elephants in Dindori). This is totally illegal as a free roaming elephant will be captured and will be chained for life and have to do patrolling duties.
Through this petition, we want to urge the MP Forest Department to stop this capturing plan and also release the 20 year old male captured in its habitat. Instead of declaring the elephants problematic the department should equip and train its staff to monitor and mitigate human elephant conflict.
We want the captured elephant to be released back to its habitat back at Bandhavgarh along with its family.
1,998
The Issue
On 20th Nov, one 20 year old male was captured in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, MP. The reason for this capture is given as this is a problematic elephant.
We all know that an herd of around 52 elephants have become resident of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in MP, these elephants have migrated from Chhattisgarh in 2019 and stayed back due to suitable habitat and ample food and water. There are instances of elephants straying out of the protected area and intruding into human habitat and destroying agricultural crops and few instances houses. The reason for any house damage is majorly due to storage of Mahua in this region, and Mahua being favorite to elephants.
Normally male elephants attaining adulthood moves out of the herd and roam around either alone or with other males of same age group. In this case also this male strayed away from the herd and was moving around when the same was captured. As per, WPA 1972 sec 11 any problematic animal can be rescued and shifted to another habitat with written permission from CWLW, in this case the said elephant is declared as problematic and being shifted to Kanha for being trained as a Kunki ( patrolling) elephant and will be in CHAINS for rest of his life.
There was a news in a local newspaper from Bhopal stating that MP forest dept needs 53 elephants in its various tiger reserves for patrolling purpose and currently they have 31 elephants, the balance 23 will be captured from this herd or other herds present in MP currently ( herd of around 52 in Bandhavgarh, herd of around 32 elephants in Kotma and around 16 elephants in Dindori). This is totally illegal as a free roaming elephant will be captured and will be chained for life and have to do patrolling duties.
Through this petition, we want to urge the MP Forest Department to stop this capturing plan and also release the 20 year old male captured in its habitat. Instead of declaring the elephants problematic the department should equip and train its staff to monitor and mitigate human elephant conflict.
We want the captured elephant to be released back to its habitat back at Bandhavgarh along with its family.
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Petition created on 21 November 2021