Bhubaneswar: Recent death of domesticated elephant Nanda has exposed the loopholes in Kumki training in Odisha, following which a number of animal lovers in the state Wednesday demanded the resignation of Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) here.
Untimely death was caused due to gross mismanagement on part of forest officials. Musth (excitement phase) is a periodic condition in the male elephants characterised by highly aggressive behavior and substantial rise in reproductive hormones. Nanda was tranquilised for several times to bring it under control, the wildlife lovers alleged.
Taking to the official Facebook page of Animal Welfare Trust Ekamra (AWTE), its chief Purabi Patra decried the PCCF demanding his resignation.
In a similar vein, a noted wildlife expert Kamal Lochan Purohit said, “During the Musth phase, for the first time, I had tranquilised Nanda in 1997, November 11. It was the same day when the elephant became outrageous and killed a mahout named Radha Raman Singh in front of me. However, Nanda was never tranquilised after that in between 1997 to 2010, so long as the pachyderm was in Nandankanan.”
What compelled to repeatedly tranquilise the elephant in Chandaka sanctuary can better be explained either by divisional forest officer (DFO) or other officials concerned, Purohit further said.
It is worth mentioning that Nanda was a Kumki (trained) elephant from Nandankanan Zoo, who died in the wee hours of Monday at around 3.00am in Chandaka-Dampada wildlife sanctuary on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar.
A forest official source said, in 2010, the elephant was earlier brought to Godibari in Chandaka from the Nandankanan. The pachyderm was trained on how to control stray and outrageous wild animals.
Nanda was previously administered a tranquiliser Saturday by Forest department personnel as the jumbo was to be taken to a newly-constructed Elephant Rescue Center in the sanctuary. However, the jumbo fell sick and fainted few minutes after receiving the dose.
Following which, the pachyderm was undergoing treatment by three veterinarians from OUAT in Bhubaneswar and was unconscious.
“Exact reason behind the death can be ascertained only after a post-mortem report comes in,” the senior forest official expressed. Post-mortem of the male tusker was carried out later in the day.
It is pertinent to mention here that Nanda was born to mother elephant named Basanti at Nandankanan Zoo in 1997, November 28.
PNN