BENGALURU: One of Karnataka’s most popular tuskers, Balarama, the 69-year-old former howdah elephant, is said to be ill. He has not been eating in the past seven days, said forest department officials. A team of veterinarians and experts from Bengaluru has done an endoscopy on him to know the exact cause.
As per preliminary investigation, the tusker is suffering from throat infection, internal infection and worm infection, and is unable to swallow anything.
He has stopped eating and his caretakers and veterinarians are trying to feed him liquids. The tusker is under continuous observation in the special elephant health camp in Bheemanakatte, near Nagarhole Tiger Reserve. The royal Mysuru family is said to have paid the expenditure for his endoscopy.
“When elephants stop eating, it is difficult to diagnose what is wrong. To start the exact course of treatment and proper antibiotics, the exact cause needs to be known. All means are being tried to make the animal eat and drink. This kind of behaviour is also seen among animals who are reaching the end,” said a veterinarian. According to the forest department, he is the second oldest camp elephant in the state.
The oldest is Salara, 79 years, who also stays in the same camp. “Camp elephants live longer than wild ones because of the care, diet and attention they are given. In camps, they even live up to 90 years. Balaram is also the oldest Dasara elephant. He has carried the howdah for around 15 years and only recently, and the task was given to Abhimanyu,” said a forest official.