Assam: 97 elephants from state sent to other states since 2006, says Chandra Mohan Patowary

At least 97 elephants have been sent to other states since 2006 mostly for ''religious activities'' and with many pachyderms ''over-staying'' their period of the lease, the Assam government informed Assembly on December 23.

As per Forest Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary, the elephants are sent for a period of two-three years to other states such as Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, West Bengal, Haryana, Odisha, and Jharkhand.

''The captive elephants were sent from the Doomdoma Forest Division of Assam,'' Patowary said while replying to Congress leader Debabrata Saikia.

He further informed that the Assam government has been in touch with other states over the matter.

''In this regard, letters have been sent to the respective states from time to time to return the elephants,'' he added.

In response to a separate question by Congress MLA Rekibuddin Ahmed, Patowary said 80 animals have been transferred from the Assam State Zoo, Guwahati, to different states under the animal exchange programme between 2012 and 2022.

''Animal like rhinos, Royal Bengal Tigers, hillock, gibbons and leopard cats,'' he added.

He further informed that during the same period, the state acquired 83 animals from different zoos.

Patowary further said that there were around 1,196 animals in the state zoo here as on March 31, 2022, comprising 551 mammals, 381 birds, and 264 reptiles.

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