Court returns 4 ailing elephants to Rambo circus, activists fume

Activists and wildlife organisations have been left outraged after Pune-based Rambo circus managed to get custody of four elephants, including a blind one, that were was receiving medical attention for a variety of circus-related health issues. The judicial magistrate passed an order in this regard on Wednesday.

The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), along with the local police, had seized 22 animals, including four elephants -- Pearl, Ruby, Goldie and Sylvie -- from the Rambo Circus on May 26. The move was made after recieving several complaints from NGOs. The animals were handed over to the Wildlife SOS (WSOS), which works in the field of animal rescue and rehabilitation, for caretaking. The elephants were being provided with medical care for nearly a month in a temporary facility outside Pune.

According to the WSOS officials, on Wednesday, a large group from the circus came and forcibly took four ailing elephants, aged 25, 35, 41 and 52. Though the WSOS representatives tried to hold off the circus group for approximately eight hours, the situation became too hostile to control. Now the organisation was exploring various legal remedies, so that proper care for these elephants could be resumed.

Senior WSOS veterinarian Dr Yaduraj Khadpekar said, "These elephants have had a small taste of freedom but all efforts to provide them with medical care have gone in vain. It is painful to see the animals that need medical care being forced to perform."

"The court was provided with the elephants' detailed health reports. They explained in great detail the amount of brutality they had suffered, as well as the injuries on their bodies, rotting footpads, overgrown toenails, severe debilitation, wounds on their mouths and swelling from circus beatings," said the WSOS spokesperson, adding that the statements submitted to the court also confirmed and highlighted that the elephants were chained in their own dung and urine for months and that the circus had been forcing them to perform illegally.

According to sources, the circus claimed in the court that the AWBI notice was not sent to the correct postal address and since there was no substantial documentation to refute this claim during the argument, it led to the court order.

"The decision to return the rescued blind and sick elephants to the circus that abused them came as a shock to everyone," said WSOS co-founder Kartick Satyanarayan. "This is a sad day for elephant protection in India. The system has failed to protect the animals that deserve protection by law. However, we cannot give up the fight. Our struggle will go on," he added.

Meanwhile, an online petition seeking freedom of these four elephants was signed by as many as 19,124 people by Thursday evening, while support also poured in from celebrities around the world, including former Miss World Linda Petursdottir, American composer Matthew William Sorum, American film actress Lauren German and actor Purab Kohli.

The court has directed the circus to keep the animals in a suitable place and good condition, get them medically examined at regular intervals, apart from imposing other conditions. "We are, however, worried about the fact that the order says the applicant shall not use/cause the animal to perform in a way and manner causing cruelty to them, which means they can still use these elephants for performing and no animal can be made to perform tricks without subjecting them to cruelty or forcing them with beatings and threats," said the WSOS spokesperson.