The Forest Department has launched enumeration of captive elephants in the district. The move comes in the wake of a directive by the Supreme Court asking the government to ensure measures to prevent cruelty to pachyderms in the State.
J.K. Sharma, Assistant Conservator of Forests (Social Forestry), Thiruvananthapuram, said the enumeration was being conducted in accordance with a recent order issued by Chief Wildlife Warden G. Harikumar that laid directions to ensure the safety of captive elephants.
The headcount of captive elephants will be conducted in all districts and should be completed within 15 days as per the directive.
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The Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Biodiversity Cell) will forward the master copy of the details of the elephants to the Chief Wildlife Warden. Owners of captive elephants will be required to register the animals in the prescribed form, failing which action will be taken against them.
Data book
As part of enforcing norms, the elephant owners who have not obtained the ‘Elephant Data Book’ for each captive elephant will be required to apply and obtain the data book within one week. Temples and Devaswoms have been directed to register their captive elephants with the district committee, which has been set up under the Kerala Captive Elephant (Management and Maintenance) Rules 2012.
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The order stated that the owners of captive elephants will face action, including confiscation of the animals, if the prescribed rules are violated. The maintenance of the confiscated elephants will be ensured at the cost of the owner.
Headcount should be completed in 15 days
Owners should register animals in prescribed form