Tough rules for raising tamed jumbos: Minister

By Shanika Sriyananda

In an attempt to prevent stealing of wild elephants for domestication, the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Wildlife is to lay down stringent measures for raising wild elephants.

The illegal capture of wild elephants for domesticating for the use of religious ceremonies has stirred controversy in recent years. Some baby elephants captured from wild have been reported dead due to poor management of the animals.

“Raising wild elephants is not an easy task. In future, baby elephants will only be released to those who want to domesticate them in line with the recommendations of a special committee functioning under the Ministry,” Sustainable Development and Wildlife Minister Gamini Jayawickrama Perera said.

Minister Perera told the Daily FT that the committee would comprise several professionals who would look into the eligibility of the applicants to raise baby elephants captured from the wild.

He said that financial status and ability to look after an elephant were among the main requirements that the committee would look into before releasing baby elephants to applicants.

Licenses will be issued to the owners of domestic elephants which will be renewed annually. Minister said the authorities would look into the safety of the animal before issuing and renewing licenses to the owners. All owners of tamed elephants in the country will be registered under the proposed new system.

“Although we will have a separate place to raise baby wild elephants, we will not take any elephant captured illegally from jungles into our custody. Legal action against illegal capturing of wild elephants will be taken by the Courts and the Attorney General’s Department,” he explained.

Outlining future plans, he said tamed elephants would be released to religious and cultural ceremonies from a pool of tamed elephants, which would be established soon.

“The baby elephants will be tamed and trained to take part in religious ceremonies and cultural pageants to maintain the country’s traditions and culture,” Minister Perera said, adding that a centre to train mahouts would also be established under the new proposal.

The Minister said a Cabinet paper would be prepared soon to obtain approval for releasing elephants to temples for use in peraheras.