Activists call for freeing of captive wild elephants, tigers in Kerala

Amid strong protest by a section of people in Idukki district of Kerala over the High Court declining permission to capture a wild elephant, animal rights activists are urging that two elephants and five tigers that are kept captive by the state forest authorities should be released.

Animal rights activist Mini Sudhil said in a petition before the court that capturing a wild elephant was illegal as per the Wildlife Protection Act. Similarly capturing and detaining tigers that are protected species under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act is also illegal. Hence the two wild elephants and five tigers kept captive should be released, Sudhil said.

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The petition would be taken up by the court on Friday.

Meanwhile, local people at Chinnakanal region near Munnar tourist spot blocked roads on Thursday to protest against the High Court directive. The wild elephant, named 'Arikomban', had killed several people over the years and caused damage to properties. A hartal was also observed in ten panchayats in the region.

The court which decided to seek suggestions from an expert committee on alternate suggestions other than capturing and taming the wild elephant had also taken serious note of allegations that human settlements were set up in elephant corridors.

The court sought records of the resettlement of landless tribals during 2002 as animal rights activists pointed out that the allotted land where the natural habitat of wild elephants and other animals.