Elephants freed from logging industry to find sanctuary at Vantara

In positive news for wildlife welfare, Vantara, Anant Ambani’s rescue centre for captive elephants and other wildlife, is set to become the new home for 20 elephants freed from exploitative logging operations in Arunachal Pradesh. The transfer was done with the approval of a Supreme Court-appointed committee and the consent of the elephants’ owners, a report in the Times of India said.

This group of elephants — ten males, eight females, one sub-adult, and one calf — represents years of suffering under harsh labour conditions. Their journey to Vantara, a sanctuary designed to replicate their natural habitat, marks the beginning of a new chapter, free from the chains of captivity and the demands of labour.

The elephants’ individual stories reveal the extent of their suffering. Laxmi, a 10-year-old sub-adult, was left with untreated wounds on her legs and a painful, fresh hole in her ear — a result of brutal training methods aimed at establishing human dominance. Maya, a two-year-old calf, was rescued alongside her mother Rongmoti, who bore deep lesions from years of carrying heavy loads.

Ramu, a bull elephant, endured months of being tightly restrained, causing significant physical and psychological harm. Meanwhile, Babulal, another bull, sustained a broken and bleeding tail during a conflict with a wild elephant — a fight he was ill-prepared for due to his years in captivity.

At Vantara, these elephants will receive round-the-clock care from a team of veterinarians and animal specialists. Advanced medical facilities, including physiotherapy and treatments for chronic injuries, will help them recover from their ordeals. The sanctuary also ensures that these elephants will live chain-free, with ample space to move and socialise as they would in the wild.

The initiative extends beyond the elephants. Mahouts and their families, who previously relied on the animals for income, will be trained in humane and scientifically backed methods of elephant care. This approach provides not just a livelihood but also a meaningful role in the elephants’ rehabilitation.

The transfer of these elephants comes against a backdrop of declining private ownership in Arunachal Pradesh, where a ban on logging has reduced the demand for elephants in forestry. While this development has been lauded by conservationists, the transition has not been without its challenges.

A 2020 study published in Gajah, a journal of the IUCN/SSC Asian Elephant Specialist Group, highlighted the issues faced by captive elephants in the region. Many are bred near forested areas, where interactions with wild bulls often occur, but they lack the natural instincts needed for survival due to years of captivity.

Tabang Jamoh, divisional forest officer in Namsai, described the rescue as a necessary step: “This transfer not only ensures a better future for these elephants but also addresses broader conservation goals by reducing the need for their exploitation.”

Veterinary experts, however, have pointed out the long road ahead. “Many rescued elephants arrive with severe health and psychological issues,” said Dr. Sorang Tadap, veterinary officer at Itanagar Biological Park. “While facilities like Vantara provide hope, the need for similar infrastructure across the country remains urgent.”

For former owners, the initiative offers a way forward in the wake of the logging ban. “We no longer want to use our elephants for labour,” said Chow Thamasala Mein, one of the owners. “Their transfer to Vantara means they’ll be cared for, and we’ll have steady jobs to support our families.”

The rescue and rehabilitation effort at Vantara illustrates the complex relationship between conservation, community welfare, and wildlife management. While the rescued elephants begin a new life of freedom, their stories underscore the importance of addressing the systemic issues that have long enabled their exploitation.

This initiative is not a panacea, but it sets a precedent for humane treatment and sustainable practices, offering a glimpse of what a more balanced approach to conservation could look like.