The trained elephants (Kumki elephants) at the Muthanga elephant kraal under the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (WWS) had a special day on the occasion of the Elephant Day celebrations here on Sunday.
A huge crowd including forest officials, students and villagers gathered there to feed the elephants.
Apart from the daily ration of wheat, ragi with jaggery, those elephants were given coconut, sugarcane, bananas and cucumber on that occasion. S. Mohanan Pillai, Wild Life warden, WWLS, inaugurated the ‘anayoottu’ by feeding elephant Kuju the eldest member of the camp. The programme was held in connection with the Wildlife week observance.
“The main objective of celebrating ‘'Elephant Day’ is to create awareness among the public on the significance of the species in the animal kingdom and how to conserve the big animal,” S. Heeralal, Assistant Wildlife Warden, WWS, told The Hindu .
Four elderly tribal mahouts were honoured on that occasion.
They performed a Gaja pooja in connection with ‘anayoottu’.Students, who were invited to the function, enjoyed the day with orphaned elephant calves of the kaarl. “Next time the number of trained elephants may be doubled as we are trying to bring five trained elephants from Karnataka forest department to constitute an elephant squad to tackle the increasing man animal conflict in the district,” Mr. Pillai said.
In Guruvayur
Staff Reporter writes from Guruvayur: It was a day of celebration for elephants of Sreekrishna Temple, Guruvayur, on Sunday. Special organic breakfast, including Chengalikodan bananas, cucumber and pumpkins, were served to all elephants at the Punnathurkotta, the elephant shelter of the Guruvayur Devaswom as part of the Elephant Day celebrations.
