The government said under the legal provisions of the Act relating to the protection of wild life and forests to retain the tamed elephants and tuskers domestically, it is necessary to register such tamed elephants and tuskers in the Wild Life Conservation Department and obtain a permit annually.
Accordingly, 161 tamed elephants and tuskers under the custody of the certain persons, in addition to the elephants and tuskers under the custody of the Zoological Department, have been registered in the Wild Life Conservation Department.
Recently however, complaints have been received about malpractices in the registration mechanism and capture of elephant and tusker cubs from the forests illegally. The government says investigations have also been carried out about these complaints.
According to media reports, Wildlife Conservation Department (WCD) officials have found 16 illegally kept elephant calves during its special operations conducted throughout the country since the beginning of this year.
Members of the Maha Sangha, the Association of tamed Elephants and Tuskers and various other interested parties have submitted various suggestions and proposals regarding the registration of baby elephants.
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal made by the Minister of Sports and Tourism Navin Dissanayake to appoint a committee to streamline the retaining of tamed elephants and tuskers, and to take appropriate measures on the recommendations of that committee.
