I am a baby elephant. I live along with my herd in a forest in India. Some times, we devour the crops in the villages,on the edge of the forest. Then the people attack us retaliation and usually there are causalities on both sides.
Our natural habitats are diminishing and we are on the verge of starvation. Our water holes are fast diaappearing and often we don't get water to drink, leave alone have bath. If we emage from the forest we risk getting killed. They say we are "wild' and dangerous. What nonsense' we don't even eat other animals like some men do. To make things worse, we have to beware of poachers. Ivory sells at fancy prices,so the big tuskus are often hunted down and killed. My mother says that when I grow up I will have huge tusks. Then I will have to be careful. If I am not killed I may be capured and taken to a circus or Zoo., or, put to work hauling timber or participating in temple ceremonies.
Men say the life span of an elephant can be 60 years in the wild and 80 years in captivity. They claim that half of all elephants die before the age of 15,and only one in five reaches the age of 30. The forest is a dangerous place indeed.
Man no longer lives in his natural habitat. And he is doing well for himself, dominating the planet in fact. So why shouldn't elephant leave the forest and come to live in the city with men? After all, isn't he the best provider on earth? He will surely provide us food, shelter and protection from the dangers of the wild. Just as he provides for his dogs, cats,horses, pigs,goats and chickens.
I know he eats some of them,but thankfully, not all, I am a good labourer, So I am sure the he won't kill me. I can give him my tusks.If he fancies the hair on my tail for making rings. I can give him that too. In any case, my tail is so small to be any practical use.
India has had captive elephants since 3500 BC in 1970, the world had 1.5 million wild elephants. With in two decades this number plummeted to 640,000. India now has hardly 30,000 elephants
We elephants need large amounts of food We are strict vegetarians. When the planet already has to feed 6.8 billion humans, and a host of their species, what chances are there of our survival ? It is time we found a new home. If only humans would take care of us and save us the trouble of foraging for food. I don't mind doing work. What is wrong with elephants doing work? Don't human beings work too?..
I would hate to be captured, though.If only the mahouts were more humane, then life with man would be sheer bliss. And then we would never destroy crops or attack people again. I Promise
Reference : pushpakurup@yahoo.com
Prof.John Kurakar
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