The elephant is celebrated as a symbol of all that is worth knowing and preserving. Perhaps this is because , in the presence of the elephant we feel our own humility.

1. ‘ AANAKARYAM’
THE ELEPHANT WELFARE PROJECT
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2. Asian Elephant Distribution
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3. Evolution of elephants
After centuries of
evolution and change,
the mammoth evolved.
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4. Asian elephant African elephant
(Elephus maximus) (Loxodonta africana)
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5. Elephants have been a
part of the Indian
landscape for
centuries. From Nepal
to the Western ghats,
they once roamed
free, unafraid as Lords
of the sub-continent.
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6. Led by a matriarch,
they herded together
in small or large groups,
as there is safety in
numbers.
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7. Elephant capture
It is said that
elephants have been
captured and
domesticated since
several centuries. It is
a painful and violent
experience where
elephant families are
torn apart and some
lives are lost. Those
that survive are forced
to live with the scars
of terror and grief.
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8. Timber hauling
In the early days
Elephants were largely
trained to haul timber
and drag weights.
However with the
advancement of
technology, elephants
are rarely used for
such work.
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9. Elephants at festivals
Elephants are also
trained to attend
festivals. They are
made to wear
acessories ( called
capparisons) and
parade or march for
hours in the hot sun.
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10. Elephants share special
bonds with their
keepers, the mahouts.
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12. A scrub bath
rejuvenates an
elephant and is
necessary for its well
being. In the wild
elephants spend several
hours, wallowing in
water.
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13. Elephants are
considered sacred in
India. They are
considered
manifestations of
Ganesha, the elephant
headed God.
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14. Over work, mishandling
by untrained mahouts
and neglect on the part
of the owners have led
to increased physical-
mental abuse of
elephants.
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16. ‘They say that deep
within the elephant’s
eyes you can glimpse
the tragic mirror of
history. Reflected
there is a profound
forlonness.’
(Aliya stories of elephants of
Srilanka.- Teresa Canon and Peter
Davis)
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17. The bond between the
mahout and the
Elephant is sacred. It
is based on trust, love
and respect. Yet when
that trust is violated,
it results in a tragic
loss for both human
and elephant.
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19. WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF
THE INDIAN ELEPHANT ?
WILL THEY HAVE A BETTER TOMORROW ?
WITH BETTER LIVING CONDITIONS AND
CHANCES OF SURVIVAL.
WILL THERE BE ENOUGH WORK ?
ENOUGH FOOD AND WATER AND SPACE ?
WILL THERE BE GOOD MAHOUTS ?
HARD QUESTIONS THAT HAVE NO EASY ANSWERS.
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20. FUTURE?
WORK ?
MAHOUTS ?
ECONOMICS ? SPACE ?
FOOD ?
WATER? 20

21. As long as there are
elephants on earth,
we will find some in
our midst. The answer
lies in finding ways to
help them adjust to
life in captivity. And
to lead as normal a
life as possible.
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22. Should we wait for
political decisions,
socio-economic trends
and attitudes of the
public to determine the
fate of the Asian
elephant ?
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23. Some bonds are sacred
to be cherished
forever.
Let us learn to co exist
.
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