Elephants become white elephants

Om Rijal has been training and caring for elephants for years, but unable to keep up with the high cost of maintenance, he now wants to sell them. He owns nine elephants and employs 13 people, costing him Rs800,000 a month.

Income from elephant safaris has dropped in recent years due to animal rights activism. They are not allowed to graze in the forests like they used to and local villagers blame domesticated elephants for attracting wild ones, often leading to conflict.

“It is no longer feasible to keep elephants,” says Rijal, “But we are in a dilemma. We can neither sell them nor abandon them.”

Binod Timalsina has a hotel in Sauraha and also owns an elephant. He says: “There’s not even enough grass to feed them, and we can’t forage in the forest. And there is no way to sell them.”

There is no legal framework in Nepal permitting the sale or transfer of elephants, but such transactions were common until a few years ago. During the pandemic, when tourism ground to a halt, many businessmen sold their elephants to India to avoid financial loss. Even rented elephants were returned as their expense became unsustainable.

“Back then, people who had even one elephant managed to sell it for a good price,” adds Timalsina. “But since the government imposed a ban, it has become increasingly difficult.”

The value of an elephant is based on factors such as age, health, and utility. An adult elephant in Nepal can cost up to Rs8 million, while in India, the price can go up to Rs10 million.

Another elephant-keeper, Dhurba Giri from Sauraha, says upkeep is difficult since an adult elephant consumes 40 kg of grain daily, in addition to large quantities of grass and other food items. Each elephant also requires two dedicated mahouts to care for it.

According to the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, Nepal has between 255 and 265 wild elephants and150 domesticated Asian elephants spread across Chitwan, Bardia, Kosi Tappu, Parsa, Banke, and Shuklaphanta. There are 45 domesticated elephants in Sauraha alone.

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In response to growing concerns about illegal trade, advocates Sanjay Adhikari and Arnab Chowdhury, representing Janhit Sanrakshan Mancha, filed a case in the Supreme Court in 2021, seeking a ban on the sale, purchase, and transfer of elephants. Just five days later, the court issued an interim order halting all such transactions, citing conservation concerns.

Nepal’s Domestic Elephant Management Policy also prohibits the sale and transport of elephants, primarily due to concerns over poaching and habitat loss. Additionally, the Asian elephant is listed under Index I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), meaning international trade and transport are prohibited.

Nepal, a signatory to CITES, enacted a law 19 years ago to regulate international trade in endangered species. Under the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act, selling or transferring elephants is a criminal offence. Yet, elephants are still brought in from India for religious purposes and then sold illegally within Nepal.

Elephant domestication is not new in Nepal. Historically, the animals were reared by royal families and used for military and ceremonial purposes. With the growth of tourism, especially in Chitwan, elephants began to be privately raised to cater to the increasing demand for jungle safaris. While government use of elephants in tourism declined, private ownership filled the gap.

Giri has been rearing elephants in Sauraha for over 40 years and says allowing elephants to graze in forests could reduce upkeep costs by as much as 35%. He explains: “Feeding green vegetation not only saves money but also improves the elephants’ health and lifespan. Instead of watching forested areas burn annually, wouldn’t it make more sense to let elephants graze?”

He also argues that the government has a stake in protecting these animals as well as the livelihood of the people. “If the government won’t support us in raising elephants, then at least allow us to sell them,” he urges. “There’s demand from India—we should be allowed to sell them legally.”

Elephant safaris and such businesses have long been criticised for exploiting the mammal, but activist Shristi Singh says that there was a proposal for reform to adopt ethical elephant-based tourism models which was largely ignored.

“Before the earthquake, stakeholders visited Thailand and observed the Sanctuary Model. It is possible to involve elephants in tourism without exploiting them, but the model was never adopted,” she says. “Even older elephants that can no longer work are made to suffer.”

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Dhurba Giri has implemented the Sanctuary Model in Sauraha after his visit to Thailand. “My friends didn’t support it. But 95% of the tourists who visit me leave happy,” he tells us.

The Sanctuary Model emphasises the welfare of the animals with a particular focus on retired or rescued elephants. They are kept in open, natural environments where they can roam, bathe, and interact freely. Tourists are invited to watch them from a distance or engage in non-exploitative activities like feeding or bathing.

“This model allows for sustainable tourism while respecting elephant dignity,” says elephant expert Sanjeeta Sharma Pokharel, adding that Thailand’s elephant parks are prime examples of this practice which attracts not only tourists, but also researchers, students, and activists.

Such parks also create local employment and contribute to conservation through responsible tourism, but local entrepreneurs argue that the model alone cannot sustain their business due to declining tourist numbers.

“We’ve invested so much in these elephants. We can’t just give them away to the parks,” Omprakash Pandey states.

Meanwhile, talks on the matter are ongoing at the DNPWC office in Kathmandu. Says Ved Kumar Dhakal of the department: “Only if traders formally declare their inability to care for the elephants in written form will the government intervene.”