World | India
Hilton's views on elephant alcohol abuse hailed
Conservationists yesterday hailed socialite Paris Hilton, who has been convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol, for apparently trying to highlight the cause of binge-drinking elephants in northeastern India.
- AP
- Published: 00:18 November 14, 2007
- Image Credit: Reuters
- Paris Hilton poses for photograph at a promotional event for Japan's fashion brand Samantha Thavasa in Tokyo.
Guwahati: Conservationists yesterday hailed socialite Paris Hilton, who has been convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol, for apparently trying to highlight the cause of binge-drinking elephants in northeastern India.
Activists said a celebrity endorsement was sure to raise awareness of the plight of the pachyderms that get drunk on farmers' homemade rice beer and then go on a rampage.
Last month, six wild elephants that broke into a farm in the state of Meghalaya were electrocuted after discovering and drinking the potent brew and then uprooting an electricity pole.
"There would have been more casualties if the villagers hadn't chased them away. And four elephants died in a similar way three years ago. It is just so sad," Hilton was quoted as saying in Tokyo last week.
"The elephants get drunk all the time. It is becoming really dangerous. We need to stop making alcohol available to them," she said in a report posted on the World Entertainment News Network website.
"I am indeed happy Hilton has taken note of recent incidents of wild elephants in northeast India going berserk after drinking homemade rice beer and getting killed," said Sangeeta Goswami, who heads animal rights group People for Animals.
"As part of her global elephant campaign, Hilton should, in fact, think of visiting this region literally infested with elephants," Goswami said.
While welcoming Hilton's interest, another conservationist said elephant alcohol abuse was just a symptom of the real problem.
"Elephants appear on human settlements ... because they have no habitat left due to wanton destruction of forests," said Soumyadeep Dutta.
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