GUWAHATI: Vantara, a wildlife rescue center, will provide a chain-free haven for 20 elephants rescued from the exploitative logging industry in Arunachal Pradesh. The rescue operation, approved by the High-Powered Committee of the Tripura High Court and the Supreme Court, was carried out with the consent of the elephants' current owners. This marks a crucial step toward improving elephant welfare in India.
ALSO READ: 21 Elephants Transported Through Assam From Arunachal Pradesh's Namsai
In a press release, Vantara stated that at its center, these elephants will receive the care and freedom they deserve, setting a new standard for elephant welfare in India.
The rescued elephants include 10 males, 8 females, a sub-adult, and a calf. Among them are Laxmi, a 10-year-old suffering from untreated wounds, and Maya, a 2-year-old calf rescued alongside her injured mother. Ramu, a bull elephant, was found heavily restrained, while Babulal suffered a broken tail.
Vantara, renowned for its commitment to elephant welfare, will provide these elephants with a natural, chain-free environment, free from forced labor. The rescue center will also offer alternative livelihoods to the former owners, mahouts, and their families by training them in humane elephant management practices.
This rescue mission follows a 2020 Gajah journal study that highlighted the increasing number of elephants transitioning out of the logging industry in Arunachal Pradesh due to the ban on wood logging.
The exploitative logging industry subjected these elephants to severe physical and psychological trauma, including malnutrition, injuries, and constant stress from captivity.
However, Vantara faced some backlash on social media on Monday, January 20, for transporting the elephants to Jamnagar. In response, the organization clarified that it had secured all required documentation under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. This included obtaining a No Objection Certificate from the Gujarat Forest Department and a Transport Permit from the Arunachal Pradesh Forest Department, ensuring the operation was fully compliant with legal requirements.
Vantara was established by Anant Ambani, the younger son of Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani.