COIMBATORE: The Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR), spread over 1,717.96 sqkm, is set to get a dedicated veterinarian to take care of 27 camp elephants being maintained at Kozhikamuthi and Varagaliyar tribal settlements and other wildlife.
Veterinary assistant surgeon E Vijayaragavan, who has more than 12 years of experience and already treated elephants at Theppakkadu camp in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR), has been appointed in ATR. He will also carry out postmortem examinations. Three years ago, Vijayaragavan was transferred to the Animal husbandry department in Tirupur.
Vijayaragavan is likely to be stationed at Pollachi so that he can reach Valparai easily to attend to wildlife emergencies and also Udumalai, where a crocodile park is located.
For over a decade, veterinarians appointed in the Coimbatore forest division have been visiting Kozhikamuthi and Varagaliyar to control the aggressive behaviour of camp elephants that are in musth (periodical changes in bull elephants) by providing a diet chart. They also tended to other elephants.
In many cases, postmortem examinations had to be postponed for a day or more as veterinarians from Coimbatore have to travel for more than 100 km to reach Valparai and Manomboly forest range in the ATR. Likewise, treatment for wild animals had to be also delayed as there was no dedicated veterinarian.
According to sources, an individual filed a writ petition seeking direction from the Madras High Court to appoint a dedicated veterinarian for the welfare of camp elephants and other wild animals. Based on the court's direction, the State government issued an order appointing Vijayaragavan to the ATR. He is expected to join duty next week.
MG Ganesan, deputy director of ATR, "We had to wait for veterinarians to arrive from Coimbatore earlier. Now we can engage Vijayaragavan any time."
Recently, a team of three veterinarians--A Sukumar from Coimbatore, Sadhasivam of Sathyamangalam and Govindaraj of Sethumadai--had lifted blood samples from camp elephants in the ATR as it had no dedicated doctor.
"DNA profiling was done in the presence of K Muthamizh Selvan, Scientist (Project Elephant) MOEF. Out of 27 elephants maintained in ATR, we have lifted blood samples from 19 and the samples were sent to the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun. The remaining eight elephants are in musth," said Ganesan.