India: Stop Elephant Slaughter

India: Stop Elephant Slaughter

Hello,

I’ve just signed an urgent petition calling on the Railway Minister to take urgent action to protect elephants after seven  helpless animals were killed by a goods train this week. I thought you would want to join me. Ministers will meet next week to discuss concrete safety measures — If enough of us come together now, our outcry to save them will be too loud to ignore.

You can read more below and sign the petition here:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/india_stop_elephant_slaughter/98.php?CLICKTF

Thanks!

Here’s the original email  —

Dear friends across India,

Shockingly, seven helpless elephants were mowed down this week by a speeding goods train. But this terrible slaughter could have been prevented.

The massacre site in Jalpaiguri is a designated jumbo corridor where railway drivers are required to provide safe crossing to the elephants. Negligent train drivers have killed 150 elephants in India since 1987 despite the Environment Minster and the elephant task force repeatedly calling for the Railway Ministry to enforce safety measures. Only a deafening outcry from citizens across our country could push the Railway Minister to act.

It is time to put an end to this carnage. The two Ministers meet next week to discuss concrete measures to protect elephants. Let’s build a massive movement to protect our elephants. Sign the petition to the Railway Minister Mamata Bannerjee calling on her to hold those responsible to account and immediately enforce crucial elephant protection measures — It will be delivered directly to the Minister:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/india_stop_elephant_slaughter/98.php?CLICKTF

Elephants are highly intelligent and sensitive animals. They never abandon their injured and dead, and last week the whole herd was killed as they tried to save a calf injured on the track. But this slaughter is totally avoidable — elephant paths are well known to the railway drivers and they always cross by night and can be spotted from a distance, if the trains are moving at the right speed.

Our wild elephants are already under siege from poachers and the elephant task force has devised simple measures to protect them from trains: make drivers accountable for their actions, place speed governors on trains in sensitive areas, enforce patrolling along the tracks, stop the movement of good trains at night in elephant corridors and enforce strict safety measures in the 88 elephants corridors.

The Environment Minister has expressed outrage about this latest tragedy — he had just declared elephants our national heritage animal and had announced the creation of a National Conservation Authority to ensure their protection. Let’s support the Environment Minister and send a powerful signal to the Railway Minister that India demands immediate action before we lose one more elephant.

http://www.avaaz.org/en/india_stop_elephant_slaughter/98.php?CLICKTF

Throughout our history our elephants have been revered. It is now up to all of us to ensure their urgent protection from this brutal and senseless slaughter. Sign the petition now:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/india_stop_elephant_slaughter/98.php?CLICKTF

With sadness, hope and determination

Parvinder and the whole Avaaz team

Sources:

Seven elephants killed by speeding train:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/Seven-elephants-killed-by-speeding-train-/articleshow/6611694.cms

Jairam Ramesh Expresses Deep Concern Over the Death of Seven Elephants on Rail Tracks in Jalpaiguri:
http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=65966

Panel: India must secure elephant reserves:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iea7y3E2Ms273pDpnhi0WftZxPJQD9HUQLL80

Stop goods Trains at night, say experts:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/6616613.cms?prtpage=1#ixzz10Pp1pZKT