Shankar, a wild elephant alleged to have been responsible for the deaths of three persons, was tranquillised and secured with ropes in Cherambadi by the forest department on Friday 12.2.2021

The around 20-year-old bull elephant was captured with the assistance of four kumki elephants

Shankar has now been taken to the Theppakadu camp and incarcerated in a krall where he will be tortured, starved and brutalised for many weeks until he is broken and fearful enough to become a captive elephant. Then follows a deprived and cruel existence a million miles away from that that he should be leading.

This is the MOST brutal and inhumane treatment of a wild animal reminiscent of something from the dark ages and must STOP!

We call upon the Forestry department of Tamil Nadu to show their humanity and compassion by ensuring elephant Shankar is released back into the wild without any delay

#ReleaseShankar

Heartbreaking video showing Shankar desperately trying to release himself from the krall - https://youtu.be/dxKuAg-lQy0

Indian news report about Shankar's capture - https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/wild-elephant-shankar-captured/article33829645.ece