Rajasthan orders removal of 20 unfit elephants from Amer Fort

A committee suggested phasing out elephant rides at Amer fort by replacing them with electric vehicle rides.

Following the recommendation of the committee constituted by the Project Elephant Division of the ministry of environment, forest and climate change and requests made by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, the Rajasthan forest department has stopped the use of 20 medically unfit elephants for tourist rides at the famous Amer Fort.

Elephant rides at 16th Century Amer Fort, located about 11 kilometres from Jaipur, (Shutterstock)

As per the orders of the forest department, three of the 20 unfit elephants had tuberculosis (TB), some had impaired vision and chronic foot problems, while some were old and malnourished.

The central government committee constituted as per a March 6, 2020 order of the Supreme Court, which included the senior wildlife veterinary officer of Jaipur Zoo, also incorporated recommendations made by PETA India, proposing phasing out elephant rides at Amer fort by replacing them with electric vehicle rides, citing aging elephants and tourists’ declining preference for these rides.

Subsequently, PETA India collaborated with leading design company Desmania Design to create a modern electric vehicle – “Maharaja” – and submitted a formal proposal to the Rajasthan government for its consideration and implementation.

“We commend the immediate steps taken by the Rajasthan government to stop the use of some of the aging, ailing elephants identified by the expert committee,” says PETA India chief advocacy officer Khushboo Gupta.

She added that while implementing the rest of the committee’s recommendations, PETA hoped the government will also provide tourists with an opportunity to receive royal treatment with the “majestic, cutting-edge electric cars” as proposed by the agency.

The committee’s report notes that of the 98 captive elephants inspected, 22 suffer from impaired vision resulting from corneal opacity and cataracts and 42 have chronic foot problems, including overgrown nails and flat footpads due to walking on concrete roads.

Twenty nine elephants were found to be above the age of 50 years, which is the average lifespan of an elephant in captivity. Two out of three elephants, who had tested positive for TB – a potentially fatal zoonotic disease of public health concern – were confirmed reactive to TB tests conducted by the Animal Welfare Board of India in 2018 too. The committee also recommended that elephants and mahouts be screened for TB twice a year.