Send Shankar Home: Plea to Help Lonely African Elephant Living in Indian Zoo Get Home

Shankar‘s story has touched the hearts of people all over the world. The elephant was captured from Africa and transported to India. He was placed in a Delhi zoo, where he has lived for 24 years.

 16-year-old Nikita Dhawan, the founder of the non-profit Youth For Animals, has created a petition, calling for Shankar to be removed from the zoo. The petition argues that the elephant has lived in solitude all of these years and deserves to be taken to live with other elephants. The petition also accuses the Delhi zoo of mistreating the elephant and not caring for him properly.

Shankar was not alone when he first came to the Delhi zoo, he was accompanied by a companion. But the other elephant died suddenly in 2005, and as the petition states, no cause of death was ever confirmed. Since then, the elephant has lived in solitude in the zoo, deprived of all forms of contact or relationships that elephants desperately need.

Animal activists in India have fought a long battle in the efforts to help the elephants in India, as many are still used for religious processions, logging activities, and even begging at times. Although they are looked at as sacred creatures,  captive elephants are often mistreated and poorly looked after.

Nikita Dhawan said, “Indian culture gives elephants an elevated status. They are everywhere, in temples, in private ownership, and are embedded in our history. Yet, we don’t take care of them.”

To help Shankar, you can sign Dhawan’s petition here.

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