Wildlife Crime Control Bureau launches probe into illegal elephant trade from Northeast

Guwahati, August 25: The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) has launched an investigation into the alleged illegal procurement and trade of elephants from the Northeast.

The Eastern Region unit of the WCCB has issued directives to the Chief Wildlife Wardens of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and Tripura, demanding detailed reports on registered captive elephants and the number of transit permits issued for their movement within and between states.

This action follows a complaint from Alok Hasarwala Gupta, Founder of the Centre for Research on Animal Rights, India, who reported that 10 elephants were allegedly transported illegally from Arunachal Pradesh to Kerala via Assam.

Gupta also accused Omanakuttan Pillai, a known elephant trader with a history of wildlife crimes, of travelling through the northeastern states to acquire elephants for the Pooram Festival circuit in South India.

The WCCB has also directed its Eastern Unit to form a committee to investigate these allegations thoroughly and submit a detailed report.

Additionally, the bureau is seeking information on cases of illegal procurement and trade over the past three years, including those involving Pillai and his associates.

Under Section 43 (1) of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, individuals with a certification of ownership for captive animals are prohibited from selling or offering them for sale.

The Wildlife Amendment Act 2002 allows non-commercial transfers of captive elephants if the owner can no longer care for them and the transfer ensures better care.

However, Gupta has highlighted that wildlife criminals are exploiting loopholes by disguising illegal commercial transfers as “gifts”.

In response to these concerns, the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has issued an office memorandum directing all states to comply with the Captive Elephant (Transfer or Transport) Rules, 2024.

These rules stipulate that no transfer of an elephant is permissible unless its genetic profile is entered into the electronic monitoring application of the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change.