SHIVAMOGGA: It was very tough time for Nethra, a mother elephant, when her baby elephant was weaned from her at Sakrebailu elephant camp on Wednesday. The separated baby elephant was named after Puneeth Rajkumar, who visited the camp just a month before his demise.
On Wednesday morning, the weaning operation commenced around 11 am in the presence of DCF Nagaraj, veterinary doctor Vinay and other the forest department authorities and lasted for about two hours. Later, the baby elephant was formally named after Puneeth Rajkumar and everyone gathered around cheered for little “Appu”.
Revealing about the weaning procedure to the media, Deputy Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) Nagaraj said: “In our camp it is a tradition that the baby elephant is weaned from its mother once it turns two years old. However, this time, as the rainy season extended till October, the weaning procedure was delayed by three more months.
Earlier, we used to tie the baby elephant inside the forest area and bring the mother to the camp site. For the first time, we have brought the baby elephant into the camp site and tied the mother about 2 kms inside the forest at the old kraal place. Usually, baby elephant will create disturbance for about 8-10 days after separation. Even the mother is isolated from the baby for the same number of days or more in some cases. This depends on how both mother and baby elephant behave during this period.”
Why weaning is done
“It is a tradition of the camp because of the increasing mischievousness of the baby elephant. If it gets delayed further, then it is much difficult to tame the elephant. So, the forest department authorities take up this weaning procedure once the baby elephant completes two years,” said Nagaraj DCF.
Naming ceremony
This baby elephant was named after Punith Rajkumar and all the forest department authorities including mahouts, kavadis and local villagers named this baby elephant ‘Appu’. DCF Nagaraj said: “It is a tradition of this camp to name the baby elephant after weaning it. Puneeth Rajkumar visited the camp before his demise”.
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