Section 9 in Kerala Captive Elephants (Management and Maintenance) Rules, 2012
9. Transport norms for elephant.
(1)The owner of the elephant or his authorized agent shall submit application before the officer authorized under sub-section (1) of section 48 (A) of the Act for permission to transport elephant from Kerala to any other State fifteen days before the actual date of transport.(2)No Objection Certificate of the Chief Wildlife Warden of the State to which elephant is transported shall be produced for issuing transport permit.(3)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.(4)A valid fitness certificate from a Veterinary Doctor to the effect that the elephant is fit to travel by road or rail, as the case may be, and is not showing any signs of infectious or contagious disease shall be obtained in the form given in Appendix II.(5)In the absence of a certificate mentioned in sub-rule (4), the carrier shall refuse to accept the consignment for transport.(6)The elephant shall be properly fed and given water before loading.(7)Necessary arrangements shall be made for feeding and watering the elephant enroute.(8)No elephant shall be made to walk for more than three hours at a stretch.(9)While transporting elephants by walk during nights, two prominent reflectors shall be placed at the front and hind portion of the elephant.(10)No elephant shall be made to walk for more than 30 kilometers a day and any transportation for more than 50 kilometers shall be carried out in a vehicle.(11)No elephant shall be transported in a vehicle for more than six hours at a stretch. The transport can be resumed only after sufficient feeding and rest for at least six hours.(12)Trucks with length less than 12 feet shall not be used for carrying elephants except calves (height below of and 1.50 m).(13)One truck shall not be used to carry more than two weaned calves (height below 1.50 m) or one elephant with one unweaned calf or one adult/sub-adult elephant (height above 1.51 m).(14)Cow elephants in advanced stage of pregnancy should not be transported by trucks other than for health care.(15)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 metre gauge or not more than one adult elephant or two calves on narrow gauge.(16)While transporting elephants by truck or train, care shall be taken to maintain constant speed avoiding jerks and sudden stops and reducing effects of shocks and jolts to the minimum.(17)Each truck or wagon carrying elephant should have at least two attendant mahouts.(18)Side bodied truck has to be used for carrying elephant.(19)While transporting elephants through public road, a wooden pole should be kept for avoiding accidents from electric lines, cable wires passing across the road.(20)While the elephant is in transit, suitable protocols shall be in place for safe guarding and regulating the elephant.(21)During night hours, when the elephants are in transit, prominent reflectors in red colour shall be provided at the front and rear side of elephants.(22)While transporting elephants during night hours, appropriate lights should be provided in the vehicle for observing the animal as well as for enabling the driver of the vehicles coming from the opposite direction to be attentive of the elephant under transport.(23)Inter state transport permit shall be issued for a specified time and specified place. The owner shall bring back the elephant within the stipulated time.(24)Adequate quantity of feed in the ready to serve form shall be available in the vehicle carrying the elephant. Small quantity of food may preferably be served more frequently.(25)The trucks used for transport of elephants shall have a minimum length of 420 cm and tyre shall be of size 900-20. Each vehicle shall have footsteps proportional to the width of the vehicle and each footstep shall have a minimum of width of 100 cm. Vehicle shall be strengthened using steel pipes or wooden poles which shall cover at least half the height of the elephant. The horizontal pipes/poles shall be provided on all four sides so that the elephant is secure and it is able to hold on to the front bar with its trunk. Elephant should be kept at least 60 cm away from the cabin partition. Fitness Certificate obtained for the vehicle from the concerned officers of the Motor Vehicle Department shall also be produced before the officer authorized under sub-section (1) of section 48 (A) of the Act for obtaining permit for the vehicle for using it for transporting elephant.(26)Contact telephone number shall be displayed on the vehicle for contacting concerned persons whenever emergency arises.(27)Both the elephant and its mahouts shall be given adequate rest at the conclusion of each transport.
