Watch | Tamil Nadu gets its first robotic temple elephant

March 12, 2024 12:48 pm | Updated 01:09 pm IST

Tamil Nadu got its first ‘robotic’ temple elephant, on February 4, 2024. The elephant was handed over to the Shivan Temple in Devarshola in Gudalur by an NGO, Voices for Asian Elephants.

Also Read: Sacred and shackled: Tamil Nadu’s temple elephants

These robotic elephants have been donated to temples across Kerala to end the often-criticised practice of maintaining elephants in captivity at temples, often in unhealthy, inhumane conditions.

The 11-feet-tall robotic elephant weighs around 800 kilograms. The robotic elephants will ensure that the culture of the country is still maintained, while also not tormenting elephants by keeping them in captivity.

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Reporting: Rohan Premkumar

Script and voiceover: Lalitha Ranjani

Video and photos: M. Sathyamoorthy

Production: Shiva Raj