KOCHI: After the Centre announced relaxations in the rules for the inter-state transfer of elephants, Malayalis are in the search for captive elephants around Arunachal Pradesh and other places in North India as there is a shortage in Kerala.

The search is through agents and acquaintances in these states. There are high chances of getting cheated. Some elephants do not have a certificate of ownership and others are not microchipped. All captive elephants in Kerala are chipped.

In the 2000s, there were more than a thousand tuskers in Kerala for carrying out processions, compared to the 400 in the possession of temples and individuals.

Two months have passed since an expatriate businessman applied to the Cochin Devaswom Board to offer an elephant to the Ernakulam

Shiva temple. He is in search of an elephant and has directly enquired at some temples.

Even though the Central Act has been amended, the rules have not been issued, which is a problems. Union Minister Suresh Gopi has also intervened for a solution.