Target: Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Indian Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Goal: Demand harsher penalties for villagers who harm elephants.
A baby elephant was severely burned and terrorized after it was struck with a flaming bar of tar in the east Indian state of West Bengal. An award-winning photograph captures the exact moment when photographer Biplab Hazra says a mob of “jeering men” threw the balls of tar and firecrackers at the calf and his or her mother, in an apparent attempt to drive them away. This is only the latest in a series of violent conflicts between elephants and humans in the region that must be addressed.
Elephants in India are in crisis as their natural habitat dwindles, while farmlands and urban areas expand. As a result, herds of wandering elephants frequently enter populated areas and cause damage or threaten human lives. Attacks by mobs, such as the one shown in the photograph, are seen as retribution for the losses the elephants are said to cause.
There is no excusing the vile behavior shown in the photograph. No animal deserves to be burned or tortured, especially as the result of human-caused problems like habitat destruction. Sign this petition to demand that Indian officials enact harsher penalties for causing harm to elephants and do more to protect what remaining land these creatures have available to them.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Minister Vardhan,
A photograph showing a mob attacking an elephant mother and her calf underlines the growing crisis that elephants face in India. As their forest habitats are destroyed, these creatures are forced to wander over large areas to find food and water, bringing them into conflict with humans when they enter populated areas. There have been many reports of humans torturing and hurting elephants in an effort to keep them away, and this photograph is disturbing evidence that even young calves are being targeted by violent mobs.
Elephants will continue to enter villages and towns as long as they cannot find enough food or water in their natural habitats. Therefore, I urge you to do more to conserve their remaining habitat and to enact harsher penalties against those who would cause them harm.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Biplab Hazra via Instagram
I SAW THE PHOTO’S TAKEN OF THAT POOR INNOCENT BABY ELEPHANT………MOUTH OPEN SCREAMING IN PAIN AND THE OLDER ONE IN FRONT HAD IT’S FEET ON FIRE. SUBCULTURE SICKNESS MAKE THEM PAY
We need stronger laws and harsher penalties against animal abuse and cruelty! This must not be tolerated under any circumstances! These laws must be enforced!
How about arresting these people for animal cruelty, if India has such laws(and if you don’t, you should make some, now)? Make the punishment fit the crime by forcing the perpetrators to safeguard their village, crops, whatever, in a more proactive way. It’s being done in Africa, surely India can figure it out.
You are so lucky to have these beautiful, endangered animals and to let them be persecuted and burned by cruel, mindless indians whose fault it is that the habitat of the elephants is being taken from them- this is shameful. The elephants are only trying to save their ground which they have used for generations and these moronic people must realise that. You have laws against this, I believe? Please enforce these and have man and wildlife living together in peace.
Humans are really disgusting, cruel and barbaric. How can someone do something like that to an innocent creature?
I am not surprised this is happening in India…given how they treat women. What can we expect?
I know I will never visit India, not even if I was paid to go!!!
I haven’t been able to sleep properly since I saw how cruelty and stupidity together did something as horrible as to set on fire an innocent animal with a lame excuse, I hope the get the same fate, they deserve it.
So sad that it happened, so sad that it happened in India where most animals (especially cows) are worshiped. May I say, get back on the path to righteous and end: poaching, animal circuses, factory farms, fur/leather production, animal experimentation and etc…
THE MAD HUMAN WORLD IS BRAINLESSLY OVERPOPULATED, AND BLAMES NATURE FOR ALL ITS MORONIC PROBLEMS.. We, humans, are very slow learners….
I hope the bastards who did this are set on fire and go to HELL. I hope they suffer for the rest of their lives
I also hope these sub-humans burn in hell. I just wish we could do the same thing to them as they did to these sweet innocent gentle animals. I think India is one of the worst places on this planet for animal cruelty.
Dr. Harsh listen up to the real…the wild animals in ur vicinity. Are more loved respected, can bring a ton more economic value and goodness in the area needs it most. Laws dont wrk for the lawless. Save time/resources. Banish & exhile troublemakin firestarters NOW
FEED THESE BABY ELEPHANT ABUSERS TO THE LIONS DEN NOW.
Why don’t we punish the people who did this to the wee elephant by burning them a!ive someone will need to take drastic measures like this to stop animal cruelty
Why don’t we burn the perpretators alive maybe a stop will then be put to animal cruelty once and for all nothing else works
What do u expect…third world toilet..third world mentallity
THIS EXTREME CRUELTY PROMOTES INSENSIBILITY, UNCONSCIOUSNESS, AND VIOLENCE BETWEEN US. THIS IS UNFORGIVABLE AND UNIMAGINABLE TORTURE TO ANIMALS. STOP THESE ATROCITIES. WE NEED LAWS TO PROTECT ALL ANIMALS. THESE ATROCITIES SHOW THE IGNORANCE, THE BRUTALITY. WE NEED TO EVOLVE AND BE BETTER HUMAN BEINGS.
.
WHAT DID THEY DO FOR THIS BABY…JUST TAKE PICTURES…..??? OR REACH OUT AND HELP IT…..????? IF YOU JUST TOOK PICTURES AND WATCHED IT SUFFER YOU ARE AS BAD AS THEY ARE….
Humans are taking over animal habitats so extensively. What are these poor animals to do? Torching a baby elephant is cruelty beyond belief! How it must have suffered. These beautiful mammals feel pain as we do. I wouldn’t have blamed the mother elephant if she attacked the people who tortured her baby! What is happening to people all over this planet? Things seem to be getting worse and worse when it comes to humans showing compassion, respect, and love for other people and animals. What is wrong with us? It is awful what some people think is OK to do. “Do unto others……”
I can’t believe people can be so cruel. Whoever did this should be set on fire Like they did this poor baby elephant.