08/21/2021 11:35 AM
Clarín.com
International
Updated 08/21/2021 11:35 AM
Sri Lanka published a series of measures to protect
domestic elephants
, ranging from prohibiting riding on them when alcohol has been drunk, to allowing them to bathe and receive medical care.
In addition to elephants that are used for jobs such as carrying logs or transporting tourists, there are many others that
are owned by the wealthy of Sri Lanka
, including monks who display their wealth in this way.
But complaints of mistreatment and cruelty to these animals are common.
Hence, new measures were established for their protection and well-being, including the obligation to allow
elephants to bathe at least two and a half hours a day
and to be taken to the vet twice a year.
Decorated Sri Lankan elephants walk in a parade at the annual Perahera festival at the historic Kelaniya Buddhist Temple in Kelaniya during 2019. (Photo by ISHARA S. KODIKARA / AFP)
The new legislation
Those animals that are used for heavy work will only be able to do so four hours a day, and those that transport tourists will not be able to carry more than four at a time and must be equipped with a well-padded saddle.
It is also forbidden to make baby elephants work, even in traditional parades, and to separate them from their mothers, according to new legislation.
Elephants can now only appear in movies made for government purposes and under strict veterinary control.
Finally, tour guides
will not be able to drink or use drugs
when working with these animals.
If these rules are violated, the confiscation of the animal and up to three years in prison are foreseen.
Sri Lanka has around 200 domestic elephants and 7,500 that live in the wild.
The capture of wild elephants is prohibited, but legal proceedings are rare.
Animal rights advocates estimate that in the past 15 years, more than 40 baby elephants have been stolen from national parks for domestication.
Besides the elephants that are used for jobs to carry logs or transport tourists, there are many others that are owned by the wealthy of Sri Lanka, (Photo by LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI / AFP)
Where is Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) is an island nation south of India, in the Indian Ocean.
Its diverse landscapes range from rainforest and arid plains to plateaus and sandy beaches.
It is famous for its ancient Buddhist ruins, including the 5th century Citadel of Sigiriya with its palace and frescoes.
The city of Anuradhapura, the ancient capital of Sri Lanka, has many ruins over 2,000 years old.
Due to its location on the road to major sea lanes, Sri Lanka is a strategic naval link between West Asia and Southeast Asia, and has been a center of Buddhist religion and culture from ancient times.
Today it is a multi-religious and multi-ethnic country, in which almost a third of the population follows religions other than Buddhism, especially Hinduism, Christianity and Islam, according to
Wikipedia
.
The Sinhalese community is the majority.
Tamils, who are concentrated in the north and east of the island, constitute the largest ethnic minority.
Other communities include Arab Muslims, Malays, and the Burghers.
With information from AFP
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