Section 8 in The Kerala Captive Elephants (Management and Maintenance) Rules, 2003
8. Norms and Standards for transportation.
(1)For transportation of the elephant, necessary permission from the chief Wildlife Warden or any other officer authorized by the Government in this behalf shall be obtained as provided under Section 48 A of the Act;(2)A valid health certificate from a veterinary doctor to effect that the elephant is fit to travel by road or rail, as the case may be, and is ot showing any sign of infectious or contagious disease shall be obtained in the form given in Appendix I;(3)In the absence of such a certificate, the carrier shall refuse to accept the consignment for transport;(4)The elephant shall be properly fed and given water before loading;(5)Necessary arrangements shall be made for feeding and watering the elephant en route;(6)No elephant shall be made to walk for more than three hours at a stretch;(7)While transporting elephants by walk during nights, two prominent reflectors shall be placed at the front and hind portion of the elephant(8)No elephant shall be made to walk more than 30 kms a day and any transportation for more than 50 kms shall be carried out in a vehicle;(9)Trucks with length less than 12 feet shall not be used for carrying elephants except calves (height below of and 1.50 m);(10)One truck shall not be used to carry more than two weaned calves (height below 1.50m) or one elephant with one unweaned calf or one adult/sub-adult elephant (height above 1.51m);(11)At least 12 hour rest should be allowed to elephants for every 12 hours of journey by trucks;(12)Cow elephants in advanced stage of pregnancy should not be transported by trucks;(13)While transporting elephants by rail, an ordinary goods wagon should not carry more than three adult elephants or six calves on broad gauge, or not more than two adult elephants or three calves on meter gauge, or not more than one adult elephant or two calves on narrow gauge.(14)While transporting elephant by truck or train, care shall be taken to maintain constant speed avoiding jerks and sudden stops and reducing effect of shocks and jolts to the minimum;(15)Each truck or wagon carrying elephant should have at least two attendant mahouts;(16)Sedatives, if necessary, shall be used to control nervous or temperamental elephants only as prescribed by the veterinary doctor.
