Sridhar M.C., an engineer with Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd., was struck by the feats performed by the elephants at the ‘Ane Utsav’, organised by the Department of Forests to mark the valedictory of Wildlife Week in Sakrebailu near here on Sunday.
Mr. Sridhar said his four-year-old son Preetham enjoyed watching the elephants kick the football and spray water with their trunks.
This event will also help children get an intimate understanding of the behaviour of elephants, he said.
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As holidays have been declared for schools for the Dasara festival, the turnout for this year’s Ane Utsav was impressive.
The decorated elephants of Sakrebailu camp entered the venue in a grand procession under the leadership of Sagar (23), known for his majestic build and grace.
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Female elephants Gange (58), Indira (80), Kapila (63) and Amrutha (8) followed him. Ale and Surya, aged 5 and 3 respectively, also took part in the procession.
Among the competitions for the elephants were running and sugarcane and banana-eating contests.
Charts displayed
Charts listing the profile of each elephant — birth date, food intake, temperament, the forefeet girth — were displayed at the venue.
Nidhi P., a student of class 7 in Presidency School, Bangalore, visited the utsav with her relatives. “The event was conducted in an excellent manner. It was a rare opportunity for us to have a close view of the elephants,” she said.
The programme was inaugurated by Legislative Council Chairman D.H. Shankaramurthy.
Shimoga MLA K.B. Prasanna Kumar, Deputy Commissioner Vipul Bansal, Superintendent of Police Koushalendra Kumar, CEO of Zilla Panchayat Sasikanth Senthil were present on the occasion.
Various competitions
The Department of Forests had organised various competitions for students and for the public on the theme of bio-diversity to mark the Wildlife Week. Prizes were given away to the winners of these competitions on the occasion.