India's elephant keepers facing tough days due to COVID-19 pandemic

KERALA, INDIA - JUNE 21: The COVID-19 pandemic has badly hit the traditional elephant festivals held across Kerala, the Southern Indian state, which has the highest number of captive elephants. Most elephant keepers are going through difficult days to feed their animals without a steady income during coronavirus lockdown. They are having difficulties in feeding and caring for the elephants, which are an unavoidable part of major festivals. "Coronavirus lockdown came just 20 days after the start of the temple festival season. This has badly affected every field of human activity including elephant-keeping. It had a negative impact on the festival," says one local elephant park owner, Puthenkulam Shaji. "Even feeding the animal itself is a very expensive thing to do." In Parippally town of of Kollam district, Puthenkulam Shaji runs an elephant park, which would normally be very crowded during the festival season. Currently, he is facing difficulties to feed his 12 elephants. Normally, on a single festival day an elephant would get around $200 – 1.000 according to their height, weight and their beauty. A mahout, Biju Jayakumar, who rides, controls, and cares for working elephants, is also having difficulties to feed the three elephants he has. (Footage by Ashik K.S./Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)