Animal welfare groups deeply saddened by Dhrube’s fate

Animal Wwlfare groups in Nepal have expressed their concern and sadness about the fate of Dhrube, a wild elephant which grabbed the headlines by killing over half a dozen people around Chitwan National Park (CNP) and prompting the locals to demand his death. The army has tried to kill the elephant, but failed so far, and an injured Dhrube is now possibly facing a slow and cruel death.

Animal welfare groups will be organising a demonstration to demand a halt to the killing of Dhrube and to find other options to solve his aggressiveness.

Animal Nepal wrote the following letter to the editors of Nepal’s newspapers:

Animal Nepal is deeply saddened by both the human deaths caused by Dhrube the elephant and his own agonising fate. Elephants are naturally docile animals that do not attack humans unless provoked. However, in a world where elephants are losing their habitat at an alarming rate, jumbos increasingly become violent. Research has shown that elephants, who are highly intelligent and self-aware, have excellent memories. Like humans, they can suffer from post traumatic stress disorder caused by any kind of aggression faced by them or their relatives. Decades of habitat loss have torn the fabric of elephant society, leading to further upheaval.  The authorities must now come up with a plan to reduce the human-elephant conflict. Dhrube’s aggression is a cry for help. The cycle of destruction should be stopped. Giving these majestic animals the space they need for their basic livelihood and reducing their stress levels are some important first steps.

More about the research on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in elephants can be read here. 

Team for Nature and Wildlife (TNW)  requested the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC) to capture and treat the “Dhrube”, a wild elephant without killing her as well as  provide compensation to the victims’ families.