Tech Meets Tusk: How Robots Are Rescuing India’s Elephants

In a revolutionary effort to safeguard India's threatened elephants, temples throughout the nation are embracing life-sized mechanical duplicates for worship rituals. These robotic elephants, crafted from fiberglass and rubber, have ears that flap, trunks that wave, and even sprays water. Animal rights activists commend this as a cruelty-free substitute over using live elephants, which tend to undergo extreme physical as well as psychological stress in captivity. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has sponsored more than a dozen models since 2023 and donated them to temples, provided they would rehome their live elephants to recognized sanctuaries. This aims to keep India's cultural heritage intact while maintaining the welfare of these majestic animals.
Source: WION News