Animal rights outcry as endangered elephants used as ‘bulldozers’ in India.
Animal rights groups are up in arms over the use of endangered elephants in place of bulldozers in India.
Indian officials are using the animals to demolish shacks built by illegal immigrants on forest land in Assam, north east India.
Dr R D Tanwar, chief conservator for forests, said: “The hilly terrain of the region makes it impossible for bulldozers or any large demolition vehicles to enter the region. And if we send in human demolition squads, people chase them away. We hire elephants from local mahouts to demolish the huts as they are the only sensible way in the hilly region.”
The region has hundreds of elephants that used to be used in the timber trade, which has now been banned.
