The Supreme Court has stepped up scrutiny of the welfare and healthcare of captive elephants, directing the Centre to provide details on DNA profiling and strengthen standards for their care.
The issue came under focus after data submitted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) showed that India’s captive elephant population had increased from 2,675 in 2019 to 2,725 this year.
However, the figures have raised questions about whether the numbers are being fully reported. The data for privately owned elephants, circuses and temples has remained unchanged since the previous census, despite the seven-year gap.
Court seeks DNA profiling data
A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on August 18 directed the MoEFCC and the Captive Elephant Healthcare and Welfare Committee (CEHWC), formed under Project Elephant, to submit a comprehensive report on the DNA profiling of captive elephants.
The court has also sought details on whether information about the animals has been uploaded on the Gajah Suchana app.
Another direction concerns ownership certificates. The court has asked for a system under which certificates for captive elephants are periodically renewed.
Discrepancy in elephant numbers
The Centre’s note records a total of 2,725 captive elephants. However, the category-wise numbers mentioned in the same document add up to 2,984.
These figures include 1,678 elephants under private ownership, 47 in circuses, 96 in temples, 768 with forest departments, 63 in zoos and 332 in rehabilitation centres.
The discrepancy, along with unchanged figures in some categories, has prompted concerns about the accuracy of the data on captive elephants.
Focus shifts to welfare and healthcare
The Supreme Court has directed the Centre to formulate mandatory guidelines for setting up elephant clinics providing specialised healthcare.
The CEHWC has also been asked to establish minimum standards covering the housing, healthcare and general upkeep of elephants kept in captivity.
The court has made it clear that its immediate concern is not the ownership of captive elephants, but their welfare, healthcare and living conditions. These issues form the core of the petition before the court.
The matter will next come up for hearing on October 29, when the Centre is expected to place the required information and status reports before the court.