*Ø* Blogmanac | Mind that elephant!
NEW DELHI — India's working elephants are to be fitted with reflective patches on their rears to prevent fender-bending road accidents that sometimes result in more than a damaged trunk. The Wildlife Trust of India introduced the reflectors last week to help drivers spot the working pachyderms at night in the Indian capital.
"The butt reflector, roped to the [seat], costs just [$2] and is the simplest way to protect them," trust Program Director Aniruddha Mookerjee told Reuters news agency.
Working elephants are often used at weddings, festivals and by the tourist industry and often have to walk long distances along the city's chaotic, congested roads.
The trust took the safety initiative after an elephant was severely hurt by a speeding truck last December. The elephant was put to sleep after veterinarians said it could not recover. "You could see tears streaming from its eyes as it lay in pain. You can't have elephants being hit by cars and trucks," Mr. Mookerjee said, adding the trust planned to introduce the reflectors for elephants in other cities as well.
An estimated 33,000 elephants are left in India — a quarter of their 19th-century population — and many are put to work in construction, logging, security patrols and other businesses.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has accused Indian state governments of routinely exploiting elephants. "Elephants live for more than 70 years if left unmolested in the forest, yet their average life span in captivity is reduced to 14 miserable years," said Anuradha Sawhney, the head of PETA India.
Source
NEW DELHI — India's working elephants are to be fitted with reflective patches on their rears to prevent fender-bending road accidents that sometimes result in more than a damaged trunk. The Wildlife Trust of India introduced the reflectors last week to help drivers spot the working pachyderms at night in the Indian capital.
"The butt reflector, roped to the [seat], costs just [$2] and is the simplest way to protect them," trust Program Director Aniruddha Mookerjee told Reuters news agency.
Working elephants are often used at weddings, festivals and by the tourist industry and often have to walk long distances along the city's chaotic, congested roads.
The trust took the safety initiative after an elephant was severely hurt by a speeding truck last December. The elephant was put to sleep after veterinarians said it could not recover. "You could see tears streaming from its eyes as it lay in pain. You can't have elephants being hit by cars and trucks," Mr. Mookerjee said, adding the trust planned to introduce the reflectors for elephants in other cities as well.
An estimated 33,000 elephants are left in India — a quarter of their 19th-century population — and many are put to work in construction, logging, security patrols and other businesses.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has accused Indian state governments of routinely exploiting elephants. "Elephants live for more than 70 years if left unmolested in the forest, yet their average life span in captivity is reduced to 14 miserable years," said Anuradha Sawhney, the head of PETA India.
Source
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