Involving elephants in sports is normal: Experts

By Shaligram Nepal,Chitwan, Dec. 26:  Involving elephants in light sports activities is a normal practice and does not harm their health, experts have said.

They made the remarks amid objections raised by animal rights activists against the ongoing Elephant Festival in Sauraha, Chitwan.

While activists have been demanding that elephants should not be used in sports and festival activities, experts argue that participation in light games does not affect the animals’ health negatively.

According to experts, elephants that are regularly used for park security and patrolling can safely take part in simple sports activities. Due to protests by animal rights groups, the international elephant polo tournament once held in Meghauli, western Chitwan, was discontinued. Since then, tourism activities in the area have sharply declined. 

Following the closure of elephant polo and the shutdown of Tiger Tops inside the national park, the local airstrip in Meghauli has also been closed. The gradual halt of these tourism activities has had a serious impact on overall tourist movement in the area. In recent years, objections have also been raised against the annual Elephant Festival, with critics saying elephants should not be made to run or play games. 

The Elephant Festival is being held from Friday at Baghmara Ground in Sauraha. Experts, however, said that making elephants take part in light running or football does not cause any negative effects.

Former Chitwan National Park wildlife veterinarian Dr. Kamal Gaire said that involving large animals like elephants in simple games does not create health problems. “When elephants play football or run lightly, it provides them with exercise and energy,” he said. 

Dr. Gaire, who worked as an elephant expert in the park for 30 years, said elephants walk long distances daily, carry loads and work regularly without adverse health effects. “Sports actually help them stay active, but they should not be forced or put under pressure,” he added. Former Chitwan National Park veterinarian and elephant expert Dr. Bijay Kumar Shrestha said elephants already do strenuous work for park protection, so festival activities are minor in comparison. 

“An elephant patrols carrying three to four people and walks long distances. Compared to that, light football or games are not cruelty,” he said.

Chief Conservation Officer of Chitwan National Park Dr. Ganesh Pant also said that light activities do not affect elephants due to their large body size. He suggested that forming a study team to assess festival activities would help resolve the ongoing controversy. 

He clarified that government-owned elephants are not used in the Elephant Festival or other tourism activities. “We have not seen negative health impacts from activities involving privately owned elephants, but they should never be forced or pressured,” he said.

Chief of Bardiya National Park and elephant expert Dr. Ashok Ram said there are no activities in Nepal that involve cruelty to elephants. He urged animal rights activists to study existing practices before raising concerns. “Sports-related activities do not harm elephants, but they should never be subjected to torture,” he said.

Tourism expert and professor Dr. Bishwo Subedi said Chitwan’s tourism suffered an irreparable loss after the closure of elephant polo in Meghauli. 

“Tiger Tops introduced jungle safari tourism here. After polo was stopped, even the airstrip was closed. Elephants constitute the identity of this place,” he said, adding that tourism should be promoted by conserving elephants and showcasing their activities.

Mahesh Khanal, general secretary of the Regional Hotel Association, Sauraha, said many activities have been revised following protests, and the festival now mainly focuses on elephant displays. 

Former association president Suman Ghimire said the festival has been refined to include only elephant-friendly activities. He stressed that elephants and their activities are central to the identity of Sauraha and Chitwan and should be promoted responsibly for tourism development.

The Elephant Festival is being held at Baghmara Ground in Sauraha on Friday.