CHENNAI: The State forest department has temporarily put the decision to shift the Madurai elephant, Malachi, to newly developed MR Palayam Elephant Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre in Tiruchy, on hold, as the female elephant has been diagnosed with tuberculosis. The Madras High Court had recently ordered the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden to take possession of the elephant and shift her to either an elephant camp or a zoo.
Accordingly, Chief Wildlife Warden Sanjay Kumar Srivastava issued orders to translocate the 34-year-old Malachi to Tiruchy rehabilitation centre, but during medical examination, it was suspected that the elephant was suffering from TB infection. The lab tests run on saliva samples of Malachi at Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS), confirmed that the animal was infected.
Srivastava told TNIE, “We cannot take chances. As per the court order, Madurai foresters have taken the elephant into their possession but due to the infection, she cannot be moved into the Tiruchy centre. Currently, a team of veterinarians are treating the elephant for the infection and once it is under control and she is declared fit to travel, we will shift her to Tiruchy centre, otherwise, the animal’s saliva and mucous discharge would spread the infection in the soil and environment.”
Dr NS Manoharan, additional director, Veterinary Services, Chennai, who is reviewing Malachi’s treatment, said the TB infection was omnipresent. “I recommended the forest department to continue treatment for one month and test the samples again to assess the degree of infection.
”The elephant was originally owned by Masan, a resident of Andamans. It was gifted to Indira to be used by Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple. However, the elephant was not handed over to the temple, instead, was used for begging and for marriage functions.
