[Elephant_Tracks] Elephants to Retire With Benefits at Age 65

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Saturday, August 02, 2003 10:10:30 AM

Elephant_Tracks

[Elephant_Tracks] Elephants to Retire With Benefits at Age 65

This news is from my state.. so i think i should add some more

July 24, 2003 — Elephants employed by the southern state of Kerala

will enjoy full retirement benefits at age 65, the provincial forest

minister said Thursday.(Have the minister estimated the number of elephants

which live above the age of 65, i dont know any that are above the age of 65

most of the elephants here are bought here from the near by states and the

exact age are not known)

" We are taking a serious note of growing cruelty towards captive

elephants and their violent reaction to their human captors, " K.

Sudharakaran told the state assembly in Trivandrum.. ( and did the minister

took any action to stop the cruality to elephants, most of the elephants are

tortured at lonely places and at night how can the minister take action

against this)

 

" The Kerala government has issued norms for the upkeep of elephants

which among other things insist that elephants retire from work at

the age of 65 years. " ( so the minister agrees that elephants here work hard

for men , are they ment for that... and by retiered life he means life equal

to the life of elephants in zoo... so the elephants born in Europe, Africa

and US are lucky they have retiered life at the moment they are born , but

the elephants here.....)

 

He added that the retired elephants would receive a good " menu,

healthcare and living conditions. " (So dont they have menu, health care and

good living condition before retirement)

 

" The elephants will also be entitled to checkups by vets, " added

Sudharakaran.( why cant he insist the checkup for all elephants, do he think

that the retiered elephants only need health)

 

An estimated 33,000 elephants are left in India — a quarter of their

19th-century population — and many are put to work in construction,

logging, security patrols and other businesses.(What is the cause for the

decline of population, poaching... and is it controlled effectively, another

cause is the poisoning by the farmers, who have to protect their cropes)

 

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has accused Indian

state governments of routinely exploiting elephants.( They can only accuse

and carry out demonstrations,and get media support to get popularised, what

have they done practically for elephants here.. why cant they run a

retirement home for elephant)

 

" Elephants live for more than 70 years if left unmolested in the

forest, yet their average lifespan in captivity is reduced to 14

miserable years, " said PETA India chief functionary Anuradha Sawhney.( As

far as kerala is considered this is not true most elephants are grown up)

 

" Imagine what it must be like for highly intelligent, social and

sensitive beings like elephants to be ordered about constantly under

the threat of a beating with a bullhook at every moment of their

lives. " In January, an elephant working in the forest department in the

Kerala city of Cochin killed his keeper-trainer, known as a mahout.(Cochin

is my home town and i have been seeing this elephant for years , the reason

for elephant killing the mahout is improper handling , handling the elephant

at musth, the elephant in musth was realesed from chain and was taken

through the road)

 

In India, at least 42 people have been killed or injured in the last

five years by elephants.( I think it is more that 420, here in my state

kerala itself atleast 7 mahouts have been killed by elephants in last six

month)

 

Kerala's retirement policy will not apply to elephants working in

private enterprises such as circuses, which have some of the worst

conditions. ( Of about 900 elephants that live in kerala , i think the

government forest department owns less than 50 elephants) and the rest are owned

by private temples and individuals, so when the income from elephant is less

than the value of his tusk then..................)