Jaipur, April 4 The animal rights body, PETA India, has urged Russian photographer Julia Buruleva to withdraw a commercial print featuring a captive elephant painted pink in Jaipur, or donate the proceeds to elephant conservation efforts in India, following the animal's death.
In a letter, PETA India's Senior Director of Veterinary Affairs, Dr. Mini Aravindan, said the print, reportedly being sold for over Rs 3 lakh, should either be taken down or its earnings directed towards recognised conservation initiatives.
"I am writing to urge you to either immediately take down the print or donate all proceeds towards keeping elephants in their natural habitats in India," she said.
Referring to the elephant, Chanchal, reportedly around 70 years old, Aravindan noted that captive elephants are recommended for retirement at 65 under government guidelines.
"It is not possible to entirely rule out the health impacts of the paint," she added, citing potential risks.
The organization also raised concerns over the treatment of captive elephants used for tourism in Jaipur.
Buruleva came under fire after she posted an image of a model, coloured in pink, sitting atop the painted elephant on her Instagram page. Forest officials ordered an investigation into the November 2015 photo shoot.
The elephant died a few weeks later in February.