The Mudumalai Tiger Reserve near here is ready for the annual Rest and Rejuvenation camp for its captive elephants.
Pointing out that all arrangements have been put in place for the camp, which will be inaugurated on Thursday morning by Forest Minister M.S.M. Anandan, the Deputy Diector, MTR, D. Chandran told The Hindu here on Wednesday that it would be conducted at the Theppakadu elephant camp.
Stating that elephant safaris would be suspended till the 48-day rejuvenation camp concludes, he said that 26 elephants, including 17 males, 7 females and two makhnas (tuskless males), would benefit. Among them would be three elephants captured at Thiruvannamalai and brought to the MTR, earlier this year.
The 26 pachyderms would get the same kind of attention the temple elephants get at Mettupalayam.
In addition to a balanced diet and rejuvenation tonics, they would be put through a systematic physical exercise everyday.
They will not be given any kind of work and their condition will be monitored round the clock.
Staff Reporter adds from Coimbatore: The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department-organised rejuvenation camp for temple elephants will begin around 10.30 a.m. Thursday near the Vanabhadrakaliamman Temple in Mettupalayam.
According to HR&CE officials, by 7 p.m. Wednesday, 28 elephants had trumpeted their way into the camp and two more would land later. The remaining 15 elephants would not be participating as they were too ill to travel, or in masth or had refused to board lorries.
Bhavani Sangameswarar Temple elephant Vedanayaki was the first to arrive. It greeted the people present there by raising its trunk.
The department would be spending close to Rs. 90 lakh on the elephant camp, which would go on for 48 days. Veterinarians and elephant experts too would treat the animals for diseases, if any, and provide healthy food that would aid the animals’ rejuvenation.
To ensure the camp went on as planned, the department had erected fence and watch towers to keep away and keep a tab on forest elephants that could enter the camp, as there were a few incidents in the last camp. It had also made facilities for the elephants to have a good bath in the River Bhavani.
This is the fifth camp the department conducted. This year, the Forest Department elephants would undergo rejuvenation at five places in State. Last year, they were part of the HR&CE camp.
