Military establishments are increasingly seeking ivory from the Kerala Forest department to be displayed at their units after the Kerala government had recently cleared three such requests.
The 4th Battalion of the 8th Gorkha Rifles is the latest military unit to approach the department for ivory. Though the unit had sought two pairs of ivory, the request was turned down by the department stating that the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 did not encourage the display of wildlife trophies, including elephant tusks. The issuance and possession of such animal articles cannot be encouraged, according to the Forest department.
However, the decision may land the department in the soup as it had set a precedent by recently clearing the requests for 46 pairs of wildlife trophies, including elephant tusks, deer horns and mount/horn for the Pangode Military Station, the Grenadiers RC and the Madras Regiment for its “safe custody.”
