The officials of the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) on Wednesday conducted the second phase of morphometric measurement exercise for four of the 20 camp elephants. The ATR has an elephant camp at Kozhikamudhi near Top Slip.
Health condition
Camp elephants are subjected to morphometric measurement exercise every year to assess their health condition and to gauge the efficacy of the camp elephant management strategies.
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Focus will be on the weight, height of the elephant besides the height at shoulder level, girt of the chest, neck and in the event of male elephants the length and girt of the tusks used to be measured.
The objective is to collect the data and compare it with the data of the previous years. This was done to revisit, revise and re-orient the management strategies for the camp elephants including diet and work schedule.
On August 19, the authorities conducted the first phase of the morphometric measurement for 11 elephants.
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Analytical study
The data generated during the exercise was compared and an analytical study was done wherein it has been found out that elephants in the age group of 5 to 15/16 have gained 300 to 400 kg weight over the last one year. From the average weight of 300 to 400 kg during the previous year, the calves and sub-adult elephants have reached an average weight of 800 kg. Similarly, elephants in the age group of 25 to 45 have gained nearly 300 to 500 kg weight each. Elephants in the age group of 58 and above have found to be sustaining the same weight.
Calves and sub-adults are expected to gain weight while aged and retired elephants are supposed to sustain weight and there should be no gaining of weight or drastic fall in weight.
Seven elephants were kept at Chinnar camp (20 km from Kozhikamudhi) since it was closer to River Chinnar and the backwaters of Parambikulam dam. These elephants were brought to Kozhikamudhi a couple of days back to avoid them marching 42 km in one day.
On Wednesday, of the remaining seven elephants four were made to march 22 km from Kozhikamudhi elephant camp to Sethumadai.
The exercise was conducted by Forest Veterinarian N.S. Manoharan and Range Officer (Pollachi) K. Ganesh Ram with the help of Range Officer Gnanapazham under the supervision of Field Director of ATR P. Varatharaj and District Forest Officer and Deputy Director A. Thiagaraj.
The four elephants subjected to morphometric measurements on Wednesday included Khaleem (46), Surya (38), Valli (67) and Selvi (52). Khaleem is acclaimed to be the best kumki (tamed/trained elephant used for chasing wild elephants, rescue of elephants in distress). Three elephants excluded from this phase of morphometric measurements for reasons of diarrhoea namely Sivakami, Vijalakshmi and Durga besides the absentees for the first phase of the camp Kapil Dev and Sharada will be subjected to morphometric measurement exercise subsequently, the officials said. Kapil Dev which was found to be in masth period (aggressive males longing for biological ventilation) and Sharada (suffering from 90 per cent blindness due to cataract) were not subjected to morphometric measurements in the first phase.
The finer details would be carefully studied in comparison with the data of the previous years and the authorities will revise the diet and work schedule for these elephants if required. Normally, elephants on reaching the age of 58 are given very light work and are retired from work at the age of 60. Now, from Sethumadai, the elephant handlers will take the elephants back to the camp with the prescriptions and medicines required for the better upkeep of the health of the elephants.