Jumbo owners feed ivory trade

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The probe into the mass killings of wild elephants has taken a new turn. It has now been revealed that poaching in the wild is not the only reason why ivory reaches the black market.

A larger proportion of the ivory is supplied by owners of captive elephants themselves. These elephant owners either indulge in illegal sale of tusks of dead elephants or sell chunks of ivory blocks and ivory shavings that collect as residue while tusks are trimmed.

Ivory sculptors who were nabbed by the forest department have also testified that the tusks of captive elephants are considered more valuable than tusks of wild beasts.

Radha-krishan, a 60-year-old skilled sculptor who was nabbed by the vigilance wing of the forest department the other day, had reportedly told his interrogators that ivory artisans like him would get at least 25 kg of ivory to work with monthly.

“He also said that the tusks of captive elephants were more in demand because of its off-white buttery colour. The tusks of wild elephants have black striations and so the artefacts made of wild tusks are considered inferior,” a top forest official said.

Owners have to secure the permission of the forest department before they trim the tusks of elephants in their possession. (Elephant tusks are normally trimmed every four years).

“However, such permission is granted only for elephants with an ownership certificate. This means that hundreds of captive elephants without ownership certificates get their tusks trimmed illegally,” said Venkita-chalam of Heritage Animal Task Force.

Strangely, the forest department has not kept a record of the ivory residue generated by the trimming of an elephant with ownership certificate. “No one knows where the chunks and filings have gone,” the forest official admitted.

There is also the mystery of the missing elephants. M.N. Jayachandran, state animal welfare board member, said that according to official figures nearly 80 captive elephants vanished between May and June this year.

“The department said that they died. If so, where are the tusks? The department has no idea,” Mr Jayachandran said.