Wildlife S.O.S - Elephant Conservation and Welfare Project (ECWP) in Delhi, India.
 Most of the captive elephants in Delhi belong to individuals from minority communities who traditionally use elephants to earn a living. Currently the entire herd of elephants, and their mahouts face displacement from the Yamuna Pushta Area.
Living Condition of Elephants:
The owners of these captive elephants have no knowledge or access to modern medication or veterinary care and relying heavily on local quacks and healers or vets who specialize in cattle treatment. To accentuate the existing problems, several of the mahouts are not properly trained to handle the elephants and often use crude methods to control the animal. The elephants suffer silently fearing torture and hunger.
Elephants are forced to walk on Delhi's scorching roads for long hours, carrying heavy loads, which cause their foot pads to crack and blister. Captive Elephants are often forced to lift logs using their tusk as leverage which results in their tusks getting cracked, broken off or dislocated, all of which lead to painful conditions such as bleeding gums & exposed nerve ends. On the other hand, often the real tusks are secretly sawed off & a hole is drilled in the remainder of the tusk to attach artificial tusks for a few hours of display for processions or weddings.
The tail hair of the elephant is believed to be lucky and is plucked crudely & sold off by mahouts for people to wear on rings. Further during musth, the elephants are tied up for several days at a stretch and left standing in its own dung & urine causing infections to the foot pads. The unhygienic housing leads to infections on the open wounds caused by spiked shackles. Poor nutrition leads to slow starvation which lowers immunity and resistance to other health problems.
Captive Elephant Welfare Project (CEWP):
The project aims to bring about a change in the state of the captive elephants in Delhi and other areas by making the owners aware of various welfare issues as well as sensitizing them towards their animals.
Wildlife SOS believes that if mahouts and elephant owners are encouraged to adopt alternative livelihood options then the future of the elephant in the wild will remain bright and the threats they face from the captive elephant industry will reduce. This will also help ensure a slow but firm end to the cruelty meted out to these gentle beasts of the forest.
Wildlife SOS envisions the end of trafficking and captivation of the Indian elephant as one of its long term goals amongst other things.
Health Status of Delhi’s Captive Elephants:
 There are currently 35 - 40 captive elephants in Delhi and they are all under the care of Wildlife SOS. Wildlife SOS has treated several of these elephants in Delhi for gastro-intestinal and abdominal disorders. Our doctors have treated elephants like Janta, Gulabkali, Rani, Champa working in the entertainment industry for nutritional deficiencies, malnutrition and digestive problems. Several of the captive elephants in Delhi are also undergoing treatment for “rotten feet” and capped elbows.
Legal Status of Delhi’s Captive Elephants:
Even with the presence of a law for protection of wild elephants, several owners have never received ownership papers as they are hesitant to declare the source of procurement. The law which prohibits the sale and transfer of elephants across state borders without permits from the Wildlife Department helps protects the elephants from transportation cruelties; and dissuades owners from buying more elephants. However implementation of the law is poor.
Our recent and ongoing efforts for Delhi’s Captive Elephants
For the present, Wildlife SOS provides veterinary care to the captive elephants through the means of a mobile treatment van.
Wildlife SOS also plans to bring temporary relief to the elephants by constructing shade structures, providing training to mahouts (elephant handlers), monitoring the working hours and the supply and trading of elephants.
Wildlife SOS has also recently started the process of micro-chipping captive elephants in Delhi with the aim to monitor and track elephants and their general health.
You can Help Us!
Wild Elephants are crucial to the Asian Ecosystem. In India, elephants in the wild are custodians of Asia’s remaining forests. An ideal conservation scenario would encompass the strict vigil of elephant poaching in the wild combined with better treatment and welfare of captive and working elephants in cities and towns.
Your support will help us change lives of several elephants – to make a contribution please click here
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