Math elephants to breathe air of freedom

Bengaluru: Two elephants from Bannerghatta Zoo – Drona and Champak – will soon breathe the air of freedom after five long years of captivity and ill-treatment. Both these elephants were held captive in Suttur Math since 2009. This was questioned by the Central Zoo Authority as the zoo animals were illegally given to a religious institution.

The office of the Principal Chief Wildlife has ordered both the elephants to be freed and put in a rehabilitation centre. The officials from the Mysore Wildlife Division are expected to rescue the elephants in the next few days.

A senior forest official told Deccan Chronicle that the exchange of elephants from Suttur Math was done despite opposition from the Forest Department as it was a “political decision.”  
“Two ailing elephants from Suttur Math – Lakshmi and Maasti were given to the forest department and a pair of healthy elephants from Bannerghatta Biological Park was given to the Math.

“The correspondence of the same had been noticed by the CZA members who ordered a probe into the incident. They also held the Chief Wildlife Warden’s office responsible for having allowed such an exchange. Hence the government acted swiftly and assured the CZA that it would take immediate custody of the elephant,” the officer explained.

Noted elephant expert and senior trustee of Compassion Unlimited Plus Action (CUPA), Suparna Ganguly said that the Math in question had no environment and expertise to handle two elephants, hence the Forest Department ought not to give back the elephants to the math.

“The elephant Lakshmi which was given to the government from Suttur Math is still in a pathetic psychological condition. The elephant keeps swaying and it’s quite abnormal despite being out of captivity for so long. Hence, the government must discourage the math from raising more elephants in the future,” she said.