Konni is a "popular" training centre for elephants in Kerala. The name is Konni Eco Tourism and that is very misleading, in fact it is an ELEPHANT TRAINING CENTRE! Located in the district of Pathanamthitta, it is a major centre of tourist attraction in Kerala, and attracts visitors in large numbers throughout the year. IT IS OPERATED AND MANAGED BY KERALA FOREST DEPARTMENT, KERALA TOURIST DEPARTMENT AND KONNI ACHENKOIL FOREST DEVELOPMENT AGENCY.
For your information, it is illegal to remove an elephant from the wild, however, there are always ways around the system. Young elephants are deemed valuable cargo amongst the pro-captive elephant folk. YOU SHOULD ASK YOURSELF: WHY ARE THERE SO MANY LITTLE ELEPHANTS AT KONNI'S CAMP?
Situated about 11 km from Pathanamthitta, the main attraction at the elephant-training centre at Konni is the huge cages built of wood to house elephants. This massive wooden cage is locally known as Aanakoodu and can accommodate three to four elephants at a time.
The chief task of the trainers here at Konni is to train baby elephants, which are brought to the training centre after getting separated from its herd, or found wounded and roaming lonely in the forest. Some of the training programmes besides making the elephants to obey commands include, daily exercises in the morning, which also include a walk in the premises, followed by bath and feeding.
One can also find bigger elephants at the centre, and take a ride on these majestic animals. The bigger elephants are also some times used for works inside the forest land adjoining the training centre.
This is only a description you can find and which uninformed people will find "normal" activities, but does the Forest Department of Kerala have the best interest in, and the animals welfare at heart, when they "rescue" so many "orphaned " or "injured" babies from the forest?
Let me tell you the story of little KRISHNA:
He is an orphaned 4 year old male elephant living in a training kraal at Konni Eco Tourism (Konni Elephant Training Camp), operated and managed by Kerala Forest Dept. He is deprived of living as a herd member amongst his loved ones. Instead he is a young slave, been trained so that in future he will work in the logging industry and giving elephant rides.
Krishna became an orphan at the tender age of 2. Unfortunately for him, his Mum had stumbled into a wild elephant-hating village (elephants destroy their crops) and so they were severely punished. The villagers threw stones at the Krishna's Mum, causing her serious harm. Krishna and his Mum were "rescued" by the Forest Dept and taken to Konni Eco Tourism, where 2 days later Krishana's mother died. Young elephants are deemed valuable cargo amongst the pro-captive elephant folks With his Mum now dead, Krishna's fate was formally sealed. He would be a slave for the rest of his life – he would be forcibly deprived of the freedom he knew in the forest and the love and attention from his family and nannies. Instead he would be subjected to solidarity (living in a kraal by himself, his mahouts his only company). The mahouts are his trainers.
Look at this photo of Krishna 2 years ago (he was only 2 years old at the time), his trunk sticking out of his prison cell, searching for his beloved Mum and his nannies.
What a sad Mother's day for Krishna, all he has are memories of his darling Mum and Nannies and the freedom he once had in the forest.
As I said it is illegal to remove an elephant from the wild, however, there are always ways around the system. Krishna is evidence of this. As mentioned before young elephants are deemed valuable cargo because they can be trained from a young age to be part of the captive elephant scene – elephant riding, and logging, etc.
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