Jaldapara, Mar 23 : Five trained jumbo elephants have been shifted from Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary in Bengal to the Dudhwa National Park in Uttar Pradesh by forest department to monitor the rhino rehabilitation centre and the tiger reserve.
Two males – Gajraj and Mohanlal and three she-elephants Madhu, Chameli and Sulochana were chosen for the purpose of patrolling.
The rhino rehabilitation centre in Uttar Pradesh is spread over 27 sq cm.
UP forest official P.P. Singh said, “I have come from Dhudwa tiger reserve where we have a major population of tigers. Our reserve is situated in the Terai region and during monsoons, it becomes difficult to patrol this region. That is why we had to ask for the elephants.”
Jaldapara has nearly 56 trained elephants at present and the West Bengal Government spends at least Rs 1 lakh a year in rearing the elephants that includes the salary of the mahout, fodder, medicines and other expenses.
“This is an understanding between the forest departments of UP and West Bengal. We are having surplus elephants and will donate them as they need them for patrolling and other such works,” West Bengal principal chief conservator and warden, S.S. Bist said.
There are 25 rhinos at the rhino rehabilitation centre in Uttar Pradesh at present.
Last year two young elephant calves Rahul and Devi were sent to Okinawa kids Discovery Kingdom in Japan.
India has more than 50 per cent of Asiatic elephants but its population has been dwindling due to frequent poaching.
http://www.newkerala.com/one.php?action=fullnews&id=38650
Dee
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