Birth control for Indian elephants

Elephants in the Indian state of West Bengal are to undergo a birth control scheme due to a lack of funds for their upkeep, the state government says.

Of West Bengal's 400 elephants, nearly 70 are tame and in service to private owners or the state forest department.



The Bengal Forest department spends more than 60m rupees (nearly $130,000) annually on the upkeep of the elephants in its service.

"But our department is suffering a budget cut, so we have been asked to only maintain those elephants that are useful and introduce birth control amongst the whole population," said forest official PT Bhutiya.

Veterinary doctors would administer birth control injections and pills on about a dozen female elephants in the service of the forest department, he said.

"This is just a killing exercise," Mukuta Mukherjee, coordinator of environmental group Friends of Wetlands and Wildlife, said.

"If the government cannot feed the elephants, they should look for sponsors but not do anything to cut down their population."