Lab tests to confirm pregnancy in Dasara Jumbos this year

BENGALURU: Apart from relying on traditional knowledge to detect pregnancy in female elephants proposed to take part in Mysuru Dasara festivities (celebrated as State fest in Karnataka), this time, forest officials have sent samples of four female elephants for lab tests in Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh to get a scientific confirmation on pregnancy before they shortlist the elephants to participate in the festivities. This year the 10-day Mysuru Dasara will be held from October 15.

The reason for forest officials to go for scientific tests to detect pregnancy is after a tamed elephant Lakshmi which was in Mysuru for Dasara festivities delivered a calf during the previous Dasara festivities and the birth of a calf took forest officials by surprise. Before the female elephant delivered a calf, it had taken part in routine rehearsal of the procession for about 6-km from Mysore Palace premises to Bannimantap in Mysuru city.

Not to repeat such an incident which could pose a threat to female elephants during Dasara festivities, Mysuru Deputy Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Surabh told Deccan Chronicle on Thursday that the samples of female elephants proposed to take part in Mysuru Dasara festivities have been sent to Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh for confirmation on pregnancy in elephants and the reports would be available in about four days before the list of elephants to take part in Mysuru Dasara festivities is released.

“Samples of four female elephants proposed to take part in Mysuru Dasara festivities have been sent to IVRI, Bareilly,” said the DCF and stated “We do take inputs from mahouts and kavadis on the health condition of elephants but we have also gone in for lab tests.”  

Based on their temperament tamed elephants drawn from various elephant camps of the State are chosen to take part in Mysore Dasara festivities and the major attraction of the festivities is the jumbo savari (elephant procession) wherein a selected tamed elephant carries golden howdah weighing 750-kg on the last day of the Dasara festivities while others follow. The procession draws people from far and wide to witness the elephant march from Mysore Palace premises to culmination point Bannimantap.

A wildlife veterinarian monitoring the tamed elephants in elephant camps said that gestation period is high (22 months normally) among elephants and hormonal levels vary quite often and chances are high that pregnancy among tamed elephants might go unnoticed.