Flexing his little trunk, the little Thevar toddles around his shelter, often testing out his baby voice. It seems he has plenty to say while the people around him are all ears.
The elephant calf, rescued from a stream near the Kochandi checkpost in the Goodrickal forest range, has been sheltered at the Kochukoikkal station since Thiruvonam day. With their attempts a couple of times to reunite the male baby with its herd failing, the officials have now decided to take care of the animal for the time being.
“He appears to be cheerful and active and is getting used to the new company. The animal will be under our observation for a few days more and any further decision on its rehabilitation will be based on a direction from the Chief Wildlife Warden,” says Jayakumar Sarma, Divisional Forest Officer, Ranni.
According to him, it is quite common for elephants to abandon calves which are weak and fail to keep pace. “Barring a few minor injuries, the calf looks healthy, and we are yet to ascertain the actual reason for its separation from the herd. A detailed inspection will be required to see if it suffers from any internal injuries or other diseases,” says the official.
After being rescued, the officials kept the calf in a temporary shelter at the location for almost 48 hours and waited at a safe distance to see if it reunites with the herd. Though there were a couple of herds nearby, none of those came to the location and the animal was finally shifted to the forest station on a pick-up van.
Special team
Since it was rescued from a location near the Thevar Mala (hill), the officials named him Thevar. A special team has been tasked to take care of the animal, which follows a diet comprising lactogen, glucose and ORS, as suggested by a forest veterinarian.
Officials say the animal has been kept in isolation to minimise the risk of infections and after completing the observation period, it is most likely to be sent to the Konni elephant training camp. “On joining the camp, he will be getting a new name as well,” they say.
The Ranni Forest Division has reported a rise in wild elephant population over the years, as evident from the rising instances of human-wildlife conflicts. A census carried out in 2017 confirmed the presence of at least 171 wild elephants in the region.
