PETA India, an NGO working against the cruelty towards animals, has appealed Rajasthan government to end the rides of an Elephant Gouri, who recently attacked a female Russian tourist and left her with broken legs and ribs.
For last 16 months, PETA India has been appealing to Rajasthan's Department of Archaeology and Museum to end rides on Gouri and to send her to a sanctuary, where she could begin to recover from the mental trauma of a lifetime of beatings and enslavement. According to a 2018 Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) report, Gouri is kept in Rajasthan illegally, without an ownership certificate.
PETA writes to Diya Kumari
PETA India, on Wednesday, has written to Rajasthan deputy chief minister and minister for tourism Diya Kumari urging Gouri's rehabilitation and demanding that all elephant rides be replaced immediately with eco-friendly motorised vehicles, as was recommended in a report from the committee constituted by the Project Elephant Division of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, per an order of the Supreme Court of India.
Gouri attacks Russian tourist
In the latest attack, recorded on the CCTV of Amer Fort, Gouri can be seen grabbing the Russian tourist in her trunk, swinging her vigorously, and then slamming her to the ground, breaking her leg. The mahout can also be seen falling off the elephant's back. In October, Gouri attacked a shopkeeper, resulting in his hospitalisation with broken ribs and other broken bones.
“Elephants used for rides are controlled through pain and fear and chained when not in use, so the frustration of being treated this badly can and does cause some of these sensitive animals to run amok or lash out,” says PETA India Director of Advocacy Projects Khushboo Gupta. “Despite being a known danger, Gouri has continued to be used to carry tourists at Amer Fort. PETA India urges Rajasthan authorities to send her to a sanctuary and replace the use of elephants with decorated electric cars.”
Another elephant named Malti also continued to be exploited for rides until recently at Amer Fort, putting tourists at risk, even though the government body AWBI noted that she shows signs of anxiety and a Rajasthan government health certificate labelled her unhealthy and unsound. Her handlers beat her with sticks at Amer Fort in June 2017 and publicly subjected her to violence again in March 2019. PETA India has been appealing for years to have her sent to a sanctuary for appropriate care.
When elephants attack humans, beatings and other punishments typically follow, which only makes the animals more frustrated and upset. Elephants are also common carriers of tuberculosis, which can infect humans. PETA India has previously highlighted that elephants who have tested reactive for tuberculosis have still been used for rides.
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