Transfer of elephant calf: Chief wildlife warden to give report

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Project Elephant director  K. Srivastava has directed the state chief wildlife warden to submit a report on the transfer of a three-month old elephant calf from Mannarkad in Palakkad to Kottur here. The calf was transported in a vehicle, first from Mannarkad to Muthanga in Wayanad, and from there to Kottoor, traversing nearly 500 kilometres in total. The calf was found seriously injured inside the forest in Mannarkkad range in Palakkad on June 16.

The Project Elephant director’s directive is based on a complaint filed by Heritage Animal Task Force secretary V K Venkitachalam. Mr Venkitachalam, in his missive, had stated that a wounded animal should not be transported according to Prevention of Cruelty Towards Animals Act. “The Act also states that such an animal should be kept at the place where it was found,”Mr Venkitachalam said.

Mr Venkitachalam’s complaint had acquired urgency after a wounded tigress transported from Wayanad to the capital died in the Neyyar Zoo the other day. He said that the rehabilitation centre in Kottoor was ill-equipped to care for the injured calf.

“The Kottor Elephant camp is situated at a place where various types of infections are transmitted to Elephants. The presence of a pig farm illegally functioning near the camp also poses a threat to the health of the elephants,” Venkitachalam said. With the arrival of the calf, the number of elephants in the camp has risen to 12.

Venkitachalam was also critical of the veterinary help provided in the camp. “These rehabilitation centres have veterinarians who are on deputation from the Animal Husbandry Department. What’s more they do not even possess a PG Degree from Wildlife Institute Dehradun, and do not have the experience nor the skill to treat wild animals like elephants or tiger,” he said.

Mannarkad range DFO Raju Thomas said that the calf was transferred to Kottoor as instructed. He said the calf was found isolated near a settlement in Pachanthod within the range on June 16. Mr Thomas said he was unaware of any directive from Project Elephant.