Photo Courtesy: nenews
Guwahati: The Centre for Research on Animal Rights wants the Union Environment Ministry to freeze elephant transfers from the Northeast. Founder Alok Hisarwala Gupta sent a letter to Minister Bhupender Yadav on Monday requesting an independent probe into how these animals are sourced, owned, and financed. Five elephants named Durga, Rupsing, Shiva, Hiralal, and Bijuli have already traveled over 2,500 km to Tamil Nadu. Another six animals face similar relocation.
These animals fall under Schedule I of the Wild Life Protection Act. Gupta warned that current regulations are ineffective. "These safeguards are designed to prevent wild-caught elephants from entering private ownership through transfer approvals. But they are failing," Gupta stated. Data from a February 2026 committee meeting confirms the scale of the problem. Out of 2,075 profiled elephants, 40.5 percent have unknown origins. Only 34.1 percent are verified as captive-born.
Investigators suspect many transfers are masked commercial sales rather than gifts. Reports show suspicious payments dating back to 2019, including the 2025 resale of an elephant named Joymoti. The group is now demanding full disclosure on all ownership records and genetic profiles. They also want results from an August 2024 Wildlife Crime Control Bureau inquiry released to the public.
The organization proposed a national summit to end new acquisitions. They want a five-year phase-out for temple elephants. This plan includes funding for long-term care and financial support for the mahouts who work with them.
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