The 48-day temple elephants’ rejuvenation camp came to a close at Thekkampatty, near Mettupalayam, on Tuesday.
The 30 female elephants from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry got fruits and sugarcane as parting gifts from the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR & CE) Minister R. Kamaraj, who also flagged off the vehicles carrying them.
Veterinary officers told The Hindu that elephants from the Nelliappar temple in Tirunelveli, Palani temple in Dindigul and another elephant landed in the camp with complaints of obesity. They now returned after losing weight, in the pink of health. They said that in the camp the elephants got to eat more green fodder, ragi and cereals and less of rice. Plus, they went on walks in mornings and evenings.
A veterinarian said that the Tirupattur temple elephant that suffered wounds with puss was treated at the camp and had recovered. The elephants got treated for foot rot, intestinal infections and other ailments, if any. They took iron and vitamin tablets. This treatment extended to those temple and mutt elephants that could not make it to the camp as well, the vets said.
Each elephant was given a health card with more than 30 health indicators. The veterinary officers working closer to the temple along with HR & CE would monitor the health against the parameters in the card.
A similar rejuvenation camp was held in Mudumalai and Anamalai Tiger Reserves for forest elephants in their respective camps. With the conclusion of the camps, elephant safari for tourists will resume in both the tiger reserves from Wednesday, officials said.
