Elephants in India: Diplomatic Gifts and Domestic Realities

Elephants in India are more than just animals; they are deeply ingrained in the country's heritage and traditions. To many outside India, the country is often associated with images of elephants and snake charmers. Within India, however, elephants are revered not just as majestic creatures but also as symbols of royalty and divinity. This deep-seated reverence, while elevating elephants to a god-like status, also brings about a darker reality. The cultural significance that exalts these gentle giants often subjects them to exploitation and captivity. 

India and other countries often engage in what is termed as "jumbo diplomacy" or "elephant diplomacy," where elephants are gifted as symbols of goodwill and international friendship. However, these diplomatic gestures often overlook the domestic realities and challenges faced by the receiving countries in providing adequate care for these majestic creatures. The story of Shankar is a poignant example, highlighting the gap between the symbolic value of such gifts and the practical difficulties in ensuring their well-being in captivity.

Shankar was brought to the Delhi Zoo as a diplomatic gift from the government of Zimbabwe to the Indian government. An African elephant, Shankar arrived at the National Zoological Park in Delhi in 1998. Over the years, Shankar's living conditions and overall well-being have sparked debates and concerns among animal rights activists and conservationists. African elephants typically require large, open spaces to roam, which can be challenging to provide in a zoo environment. Critics have argued that Shankar's enclosure is inadequate for his needs, leading to great levels of physical and psychological stress.

Shankar's Decline: From Joy to Aggression

Elephants in India are more than just animals; they are deeply ingrained in the country's heritage and traditions. To many outside India, the country is often associated with images of elephants and snake charmers. Within India, however, elephants are revered not just as majestic creatures but also as symbols of royalty and divinity. This deep-seated reverence, while elevating elephants to a god-like status, also brings about a darker reality. The cultural significance that exalts these gentle giants often subjects them to exploitation and captivity. 

India and other countries often engage in what is termed as "jumbo diplomacy" or "elephant diplomacy," where elephants are gifted as symbols of goodwill and international friendship. However, these diplomatic gestures often overlook the domestic realities and challenges faced by the receiving countries in providing adequate care for these majestic creatures. The story of Shankar is a poignant example, highlighting the gap between the symbolic value of such gifts and the practical difficulties in ensuring their well-being in captivity.

Shankar was brought to the Delhi Zoo as a diplomatic gift from the government of Zimbabwe to the Indian government. An African elephant, Shankar arrived at the National Zoological Park in Delhi in 1998. Over the years, Shankar's living conditions and overall well-being have sparked debates and concerns among animal rights activists and conservationists. African elephants typically require large, open spaces to roam, which can be challenging to provide in a zoo environment. Critics have argued that Shankar's enclosure is inadequate for his needs, leading to great levels of physical and psychological stress.

Shankar's Decline: From Joy to Aggression

Recently, there have been reports of Shankar exhibiting aggressive behaviour. Once known for his charming and playful nature, Shankar no longer displays his typical happy demeanour. Animal rights activists and wildlife biologists suggest that Shankar is sad and depressed, pointing to his deteriorating mental health.

African elephants are highly mobile animals that require extensive physical activity to maintain their health and well-being. In the wild, they typically walk about 50 kilometres per day in search of food and water. This constant movement is crucial for their physical health, mental stimulation, and social interactions. Unfortunately, Shankar’s enclosure at the zoo cannot provide the space he needs to thrive. The lack of adequate room for movement and social interaction has contributed to his declining health and mood swings. 

The Broader Plight of Captive Elephants in India

Shankar’s story is just one example of the larger problems facing elephants in India. Despite their cultural significance, the harsh realities of confined spaces, limited social interaction, and inadequate care have led to a decline in their well-being.

Avinash Krishnan, a wildlife biologist and the Director of A Rocha India, states, "When you bring elephants into a captive setting, no matter how hard we try, it becomes difficult for us to mimic their natural environment. Elephants in their natural forests graze about 18 hours a day, consuming around 200 to 250 kilograms of fresh fodder. They also need about 200 litres of water daily and require 4 to 5 hours of rest in the shade. For elephants brought into captivity for various purposes, whether religious or utilitarian, it is impossible to replicate their natural forest setting."

Krishnan further explains, "African elephants occupy about 400 to 500 square kilometres to meet their resource needs. Captivity forces numerous compromises. While we can provide nutrition, we cannot fulfil all their other needs. Elephants are also social animals with a multi-tiered family system. Keeping them alone or with only one or two other elephants places enormous ecological and biological pressure on them."

In 2022, a petition was filed by Youth for Animals, through its founder Nikita Dhawan, seeking the release and rehabilitation of Shankar. Dhananjay Grover, the lawyer representing the petitioner, states, “Shankar has been in captivity for over two decades. Throughout India, we have only two African elephants: Shankar in Delhi and Rambo in South India. These elephants are kept in isolation because African elephants and Indian elephants cannot be together. We went to court seeking that Shankar be translocated to his roots in Africa. We also requested that he and Rambo at least have some interactions with each other.”

Grover adds, “The Delhi High Court sought responses from the Centre and the zoo authorities on Shankar’s case. The courts were proactive, but when a foreign NGO offered to take Shankar back to Africa, the court said no, stating that the animal will remain in India and it is the Indian government’s responsibility to ensure his best care. The basic issue was that Shankar was a diplomatic gift. Another matter was ongoing in the Supreme Court, where a high-power committee, led by a retired justice of the Supreme Court, was formed to look into all petitions related to elephants in India, their captivity, or their transportation across the country. Because of this, the Delhi High Court transferred Shankar’s case to the committee and disposed of the petition.”

Despite substantial evidence, Grover states that Shankar remains in captivity. “We submitted pictures and videos showing the cruelty he faced, a report from a Padma Shri doctor who inspected the facility, and a medical certificate from another doctor who cared for Shankar. We also showed pictures of him being hit by caregivers. All independent reports showed he was in a miserable state.” However, the outcome of the petition led to the Delhi zoo improving its care for Shankar, ensuring he is taken care of.

The Dire Need for Enhanced Welfare of Captive Elephants in India

We also spoke to Suparna Baksi Ganguly, an Indian activist deeply concerned with the treatment of animals, especially elephants in India that are held captive. Suparna founded Compassion Unlimited Plus Action (CUPA) and co-founded the Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center (WRRC). She has conducted extensive research on captive elephants in India.

"Our report on captive elephants in India was very revealing. It took almost six to seven years to study and gather the data, and we finally published 56 reports. These foundational findings can be used as a base for future research," says Ganguly. "Elephants and human psyches are remarkably similar. Both cannot endure solitary confinement. Solitary confinement is rarely even imposed on hardened criminals. Captive elephants can never be released into the wild because reintroducing them would lead to significant conflict. Sadly, in the case of Asian elephants, we can't do much except keep them in captivity but ensure they are well cared for. They should be given as much freedom as possible, freedom from chains, and an environment where they can socialise with other elephants."

Ganguly emphasises that in the future, we must not export elephants from India or import them from foreign zoos. "We must respect their natural habitat," she insists. The case of Shankar, who remains untranslocated back to Africa primarily because he is a diplomatic gift, highlights a crucial lesson. Shankar’s two-decade-long struggle in captivity teaches us that elephants are not commodities to be exported. They are sentient beings that have the right to live with dignity in their natural settings.

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