Members of the UK Parliament call on PM Modi to defend Asian elephants, who are in danger.
British MP Henry Smith, along with over 85 parliament members, including celebrities and politicians from the House of Lords and House of Commons, has written a letter urging Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take strong measures to protect endangered Asian elephants and address human-animal conflict in India.
The letter highlights the alarming number of elephant killings in the past decade, with 1,200 elephants killed in India and 245 in Odisha alone in the past three years. The letter requests the Indian government to implement stringent penalties to deter the senseless killings of these endangered animals. The initiative by Henry Smith follows the successful passing of bills related to trophy hunting and animal protection in the UK Parliament. The letter also addressed to Minister of Environment, Forest & Climate Change Bhupendar Yadav, has garnered support from prominent figures such as former Home Secretary Priti Patel, Lord Dholakia, Baroness Prashar, William Shatner from Star Trek, and actors Rula Lenska and Peter Eagan.
The encroachment of human settlements on elephant habitats has led to increased conflict, as elephants venture into human dwellings in search of food and water. Smith emphasizes that protecting these megaherbivores is crucial not only for India’s ecosystems but also for global conservation efforts. The letter comes after a presentation by Henry Smith and Indian-Canadian elephant conservationist Sangita Iyer to the UK Parliament, where they highlighted the alarming number of elephant deaths caused by electrocution, poaching, and habitat loss. Iyer emphasizes that the fate of elephants in India has far-reaching consequences and calls on world leaders to unite in urging Indian authorities to take urgent action.
With 80% of their habitats lost to human encroachment, elephants face threats from railways, highways, and other forms of development. Asian elephants are endangered, with only 40,000 remaining worldwide, including 27,000 in India. India’s rapidly growing population and infrastructure development pose significant challenges to elephant conservation. Iyer is now seeking other world leaders’ support to amplify Prime Minister Modi’s international call for action.
