Assam elephants used in 'illegal activities' in neighbouring states

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The State Forest Department has directed the owners of captive elephants currently kept in neighbouring states to produce the pachyderms to their respective divisional forest offices for examining their microchips.

The microchip is a device used to identify elephants by assigning unique identification numbers to each of them to get their details, including their whereabouts.

Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) MK Yadava informed the Divisional Forest Officers (DFOs) of the use of captive elephants of Assam in activities such as dragging of 'illicitly felled timber in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Meghalaya without permission. The PCCF also informed the DFOs that several elephants could not carry microchips.

The PCCF asked the DFOs to make the owners of captive elephants produce their elephants in their respective DFOs to examine their microchips. "If such elephants are without microchips, the DNA progeny test for all such elephants must be carried out. If any elephant owner cannot produce his elephant within 90 days of receiving this order, the elephant shall be seized and brought back to the state," the PCCF said.

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