BENGALURU: Eleven elephants have died in the state owing to various health reasons till date from May 27, 2018, disclosed the Forest Department in an affidavit filed before the High Court in response to a PIL filed by advocate NP Amruthesh seeking directives to proper management of elephant camps. This includes Ranga, an elephant, that died in a road accident last year.
According to the affidavit, three orphan elephants kept at Sakrebailu elephant camp died due to hemorrhage, acute gastroenteritis and Herpes virus infection.
Surya, an elephant at Dubare, aged about 32, died due to a fracture in the leg caused owing to a bullet injury. The elephant suffered the injury even before it was captured in 2017. It was captured from a forest near Rajendrapura village, Sakleshpura taluk and it was put in kraal (training cell) and after three months, swelling was noticed on its right leg. While providing bath and scrubbing a bullet was found and the said wound was not healed. In addition to it, in August 2018, its knee was fractured and because of the said injuries Surya was unable to recover and died. The other six elephants died due to cardiac arrest and other health issues, the forest department said.
On the allegations about the death of elephant Drona, the forest department claimed that an inquiry was conducted by Conservator of Forests and Field Director, Tiger Project, Rajiv Gandhi National Park, Hunsur. The probe revealed that Drona died due to cardiac arrest and it was a case of natural death.
State has 100 jumbos
In Karnataka, eight elephant camps have been established and 93 elephants (25 in Matthigodu and Balle camp, 28 in Dubare, 25 in Sakrebailu, 2 in Phanasoli, Dandeli and 13 in Ramapura, Bandipur), as on today are kept, maintained and managed strictly in accordance with the provisions of the Karnataka Forest Code, it added.
Veterinary doctors
Three veterinary doctors have been posted on deputation from the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences and they are visiting elephant camps on regular basis. They visit twice a week and whenever there is an urgency. All doctors have been provided with vehicles.
5kg fodder too less for a large animal: HC
Bengaluru: Dissatisfied with the report submitted by the state government on the rehabilitation of livestock due to drought, the Karnataka HC on Friday directed the Secretary, Animal Husbandry, to appear in person before the court. The division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice H T Narendra Prasad directed the top official heading the disaster management to appear on July 14, the next date of hearing. The court pointed out that the allocation of fodder of 5 kg per animal was too meagre for a large cattle, and Rs 70 per day monetary assistance was also very less. The court was hearing PILs filed by A Mallikarjun, resident of Gubbi taluk, Tumakuru district, and the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority. The petitioners drew the attention of the court on the rehabilitation measures taken up by Maharashtra which has allocated Rs 100 per day as aid and set up thousands of cattle camps due to drought, whereas Karnataka has set up only 27 cattle camps.