State Forest dept to move SC for immunocontraception of jumbos: They will also establish a rescue centre in Bankura

MP | 26 July 2023 : The State Forest Department is planning to knock on the doors of the Supreme Court for permission to conduct immunocontraception on the elephants in the wild in the state. They will also establish a rescue centre in Bankura for rogue elephants. By combining these two initiatives, the department plans to rein in the growing number of cases of man-elephant conflict in West Bengal. 

According to the forest department, in the rescue centre, efforts will be made to rehabilitate and manage rogue elephants in a more controlled environment, ensuring the safety of both the elephants and the local communities. The implementation of immunocontraception aims to control the elephant population without resorting to drastic measures. 

In this method, the animal’s immune system is used to prevent it from fertilizing offspring. This method involves the use of vaccines to prevent elephants from reproducing, which can help in managing their numbers more effectively and humanely. On Wednesday, the Principal Conservator of Forest and the Head of Forest Force of the State Forest Department, Soumitra Dasgupta, unveiled two crucial initiatives. 

“We have already commenced the land survey, identifying 1500 hectares in Bankura for the ‘Elephant Rescue Center.’ The facility is expected to be operational within the next two years. During the first phase, we will select and relocate at least twenty to twenty-five elephants from South Bengal to this correctional facility. 

The site will be equipped with medical infrastructure, skilled mahouts, and expert caretakers. Bankura has been chosen as the starting point, and similar correctional homes may be established in other parts of the state in the future,” stated Dasgupta, talking to the Millennium Post. 

Regarding the issue of elephant population control, Soumitra Dasgupta added: “Earlier we had applied to the Union Ministry of Forests and Environment for the implementation of the ‘immunocontraception’ method to control elephant breeding in the state. 

Unfortunately, an injunction was issued by the Supreme Court in response to a petition filed by some NGO. However, considering the severity of the elephant-human conflict across the state and the steady increase in the number of elephants in the wild, we plan to appeal to the Supreme Court again. 

We are hopeful to receive a positive response and will work swiftly upon receiving the green signal. While the benefits may take some time to materialise, our ultimate goal is to safeguard the well-being of both local communities and elephants, as well as promote conservation efforts in the state.” 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/state-forest-dept-to-move-sc-for-immunocontraception-of-jumbos-527064