Made of rubber, fiber, metal, mesh, foam, steel, PETA helping replace real with mechanical elephants

By Jag Jivan*

In a significant move toward animal welfare, the elephants Bishnupriya and Lakshmipriya from ISKCON Mayapur have been transferred to the Vantara elephant sanctuary in Jamnagar for rehabilitation. This decision against the backdrop of Bishnupriya, a captive elephant, crushed a mahout to death in April 2023, highlighting the severe mental trauma endured by elephants in captivity. Bishnupriya had also left another mahout disabled in 2022.

The transfer was approved by the High-Powered Committee of the Supreme Court, following a request from ISKCON Mayapur. The decision was influenced by a campaign by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, which urged ISKCON to release its captive elephants to a reputable sanctuary.

PETA India had written to Jayapataka Swami, Co-Director of ISKCON Mayapur, immediately after the mahout’s death, advocating for the use of mechanical elephants in rituals and processions and the rehabilitation of Bishnupriya and Lakshmipriya. Bishnupriya was brought to ISKCON Mayapur in 2010, while Lakshmipriya arrived in 2007. Both female elephants were used for festivals and rituals at the temple.

Khushboo Gupta, Director of Advocacy Projects at PETA India, welcomed the decision, stating, “We commend ISKCON for taking compassionate steps to rehabilitate elephants Bishnupriya and Lakshmipriya to Vantara and are hopeful other temples and institutions keeping captive elephants will also be inspired to send them for rehabilitation. Today, mechanical elephants can perform all the necessary functions, allowing real elephants to be rehabilitated or to remain in their jungle homes.”

PETA India has been at the forefront of a movement to replace live elephants in temples with mechanical alternatives. Since early 2023, at least twelve mechanical elephants have been introduced in temples across South India, with PETA India donating seven of them. These mechanical elephants, which stand 3 meters tall and weigh 800 kilograms, are made from rubber, fiber, metal, mesh, foam, and steel. They are equipped with five motors and can mimic real elephants by moving their heads, ears, eyes, tails, and trunks, and even spraying water. They are mounted on wheelbases, making them easy to operate and maneuver during rituals and processions.

Elephants are highly intelligent, social, and active animals that suffer immensely in captivity. They are often subjected to brutal training methods, including beatings and the use of weapons, to force them to participate in processions. Many captive elephants endure painful foot problems and leg wounds from being chained to concrete for extended periods. They are frequently denied adequate food, water, veterinary care, and the opportunity to live a natural life. Such conditions often lead to extreme frustration, causing elephants to lash out, sometimes fatally. According to the *Heritage Animal Task Force*, captive elephants killed 526 people in Kerala over a 15-year period.

PETA India, whose motto states that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment,” continues to advocate against speciesism and the exploitation of animals.

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*Freelance writer

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