Elephants - megagardeners of the forest

Iconic Species essential for biodiversity needs our help

By Rhonda Smith, Director, Minerva UK
August 2021

There is no species on earth that captures our imagination and awe quite like the elephant – and there are many initiatives in train world-wide and here in the UK to ensure that we provide this iconic animal with the environment and respect it deserves in Africa and Asia.

For those recently travelled to London you may have had the delight of encountering a herd of elephants in one of the Royal Parks. Carved in Tamil Nadu, southern India, these sculptures have been delighting visitors thanks to the work of the Real Elephant Collective, the charity Elephant Family (founded by the Duchess of Cornwall’s brother Mark Shand) and Co-existence. The aim is to demonstrate the importance of the human race being able to live safely and fruitfully side-by-side with all other species.

But the Asian elephant is under particular threat as a species due to human greed, subjected to torture and degradation for profit and for our pleasure as tourists and for use in religious ceremonies.

Green Park Elephant Herd
Captured baby Asian elephant ©STAE

Baby and young elephants are taken from the wild with their adult protectors often killed in the process, and then subjected to the most horrific cruelty and torture in a process known as ‘pajan’ to break their spirit. Many die in this process or die very young. Stabbed in sensitive parts of the body, this torture continues throughout their lives, reminding them of the torture they experienced when young.

The aim of this process is to make these elephants ‘safe’ for humans to be around and take pleasure in activities such as rides, taking selfies and playing football. Many UK tourists book package holidays in south-east Asia that include elephant experiences without realising the horrific process elephants continue to endure simply for that moment of ‘pleasure’.

In the UK, legislation is being introduced – the ‘Animals Abroad’ bill – in the autumn to make it illegal for firms to promote or advertise holidays and experiences that are known to subject elephants to such unethical treatment, and set a tariff of penalties that will dissuade. Let’s hope it gets through quickly.

There is some good news. Elephants throughout the world are now being moved out of zoos and into more appropriate surroundings such as safari parks, a new bill is going through Parliament to recognise the ‘sentience’ of all animals, and there is considerable support in India to stop the practice of ‘pajan’ on elephants to make them safe for religious purposes.

Family of happy Asian Elephants ©STAE

What can we all do in the meantime? Think carefully about your travel choice (when you can again!), avoiding both at the point of booking and at your destination any location that makes close elephant encounters available. Choose only verified sanctuaries.

Visit Save the Asian Elephant (STAE) website www.stae.org, where you will find more information. Be aware that if you do visit STAE’s website you will be presented with graphic and upsetting images of elephants. However, it is important to educate ourselves about this tragic situation.

Together with STAE, Minerva urges everyone to act now and show the strength of public support for this new law by signing STAE’s petition on change.org which already has in excess of 1 million signatures https://bit.ly/3yzveTO .

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