Madras HC bans capture of wild elephants; 23 jumbos unaccounted – Times of India

CHENNAI: Wild elephants shall not be taken into captivity in Tamil Nadu anymore, except for treatment of such elephants if found unable to support itself in the wild, the Madras high court has said, banning the practice.
“No private person may capture any elephant or keep the same except those already existing,” the first bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice P D Audikesavalu said on Friday.
The court passed the order on a PIL moved by Rangarajan Narashiman seeking direction to the state for proper upkeep of temple elephants.
When the plea came up for hearing, government advocate C Harsha Raj sought further time to produce a complete video profile of captive elephants in the state as directed by the court.
There are 32 elephants in temples in the state and 31 elephants privately held, in addition to the 64 elephants under the custody of the forest department. Therefore, the department needs some more time to produce the video profiles, he said.
Elsa Foundation, an intervener in the case, submitted that as per the details furnished by the state to the union ministry of environment and forest in 2019 there are 86 captive elephants in the state, excluding the elephants with the department.
The Foundation further submitted that the figures indicated in court by the department would reveal that at least 23 elephants were no longer available between 2019 and now.
Recording the submissions, the bench directed the state to produce the statements, if any, furnished to the union ministry of environment and forests over the last five years regarding the number of elephants and other material connected to elephants.
The court then adjourned the hearing to October 21.