Posted on 07/24/2003 9:12:37 AM PDT by bedolido
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's working elephants are to be fitted with reflective patches on their rears to prevent fender-bending road accidents that sometimes result in more than a damaged trunk.
The Wildlife Trust of India introduced the reflectors this week to help drivers spot the working jumbos at night in the Indian capital.
"The butt-reflector, roped to the howdah (seat), costs just 100 rupees ($2) and is the simplest way to protect them," said trust program director Aniruddha Mookerjee.
Working elephants are often used at weddings, festivals and by the tourist industry and often have to walk long distances along the city's chaotic, congested roads.
The trust took the safety initiative after a jumbo was badly hurt by a speeding truck last December. The elephant was put to sleep after veterinarians said it could not recover.
"You could see tears streaming from its eyes as it lay in pain. You can't have elephants being hit by cars and trucks," Mookerjee told Reuters, adding the trust planned to introduce the reflectors for elephants in other cities as well.
Manohar, top, pulls the rope to fit the reflector on his elephant Pinky with
help from his assistant, on the banks of the River Yamuna in New Delhi,
India, Thursday, July 24, 2003. Elephant mahouts have begun putting
reflectors about five inches in diameter on the animals backsides at night to
stop them being rear-ended by motorists who can’t see them.
Motorists can't see a Pink(y) elephant? Apparently they haven't imbibed enough ...
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