Four-month-old abandoned elephant calf finds shelter in Bannerghatta

BENGALURU: In a rare incident, an abandoned male elephant calf, found in Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary, has been given shelter at the Bannerghatta Biological Park rescue centre.  The calf, aged around 3-4 months, was found wandering near the Muttatti-Sangam road on August 1. After failing to unite the calf with his mother, the forest department shifted the calf to Bannerghatta.

Zoo veterinarian Umashankar said that calves are usually abandoned if the calf is ill, or if the mother is mating or dead. The survival of abandoned calves is difficult as they require milk and their mother’s shelter. Abandoned calves, in the nursing age, are vulnerable to infections and are not accepted by other
elephant herds.

Umashankar said, “BBMP houses 25 elephants with four calves. The herds are not accepting the new entrant. The calf has been kept in a separate enclosure and needs a lot of emotional, psychological and medical support. Mahouts are trying to befriend the calf and animal keepers are attempting to hand rear him. His samples to check for viral infections have been sent for analysis.” The BBP officials added that the park had rescued an abandoned elephant calf, that was later adopted by then forest minister Anand Singh.

BABOONS AT BBP

BBP will soon welcome Hamadryas Baboons from Singapore Zoo. The first batch- two males and a female- will arrive from Mysuru Zoo and the second will come directly from Singapore zoo. A BBP official said that approval by the Central Zoo Authority is awaited for the same. The first batch of baboons are in quarantine in Mysuru zoo.