An animal welfare NGO in Kerala has sounded a serious alarm after 20 captive elephants died over the past 10 months, highlighting alleged neglect and calling for urgent action to protect the state’s iconic pachyderms.
The Heritage Animal Task Force (HATF), which campaigns for elephant welfare, filed a formal complaint with the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) and Kerala’s forest department, charging that local elephant monitoring committees have failed to enforce protections and regulations for elephants kept in captivity. According to the NGO, elephants that are sick, injured or even blind are still being made to participate in temple festivals and public processions, worsening their health and stress.
In the most recent reported case, a 39-year-old blind elephant named Nelliakkattu Mahadevan collapsed and died during a temple festival, drawing fresh attention to the issue. The NGO also alleges that identity tampering and paperwork manipulation have allowed contractors to evade official oversight by changing elephants’ names or circumventing ownership rules.
HATF emphasises that several of the deceased elephants were young, including two calves, raising questions about conditions and care. The organisation is demanding a high-level investigation and strict action against those responsible for mistreatment, while urging better enforcement of existing laws governing elephant welfare.
The deaths occur amid broader concerns over the management of captive elephants in Kerala, where critics argue that traditional use in festivals and ceremonies subjects the animals to long hours of work, inadequate rest and poor conditions. The Heritage Animal Task Force has repeatedly criticised authorities for failing to ensure compliance with regulations designed to protect the physical and mental well-being of elephants kept outside their natural habitats.
News as reported
