Deserted elephant calves being sent to Jaldapara

JHARGRAM: Two elephant calves who were deserted by their herd near here two months ago were on their way on Sunday to Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary in north Bengal for being trained.

Range officer, Jhargram range, Parthasarathy Tripathi said the two elephants, christened 'Raja' and 'Rani' by forest workers and lodged in the mini-zoo here after they were deserted by their herd, were being sent to the sanctuary in Jalpaiguri district.

"Veterinary doctors have examined both of them, who are two year olds. Their health parameters are normal," he said.

A mahout and forest workers had arrived from Jaldapara to escort the elephants in lorries, he said.

While 'Raja' was spotted by villagers at Fatikchua area under Kalaikunda forest range in Midnapore West district in January, 'Rani' was rescued by forest workers from Keshorrekhar area near Noygram in February, he said.

They were left behind by a herd of about 100 elephants who frequented the area from Dalma range in neighbouring Jharkhand.

They were kept in the Jhargram mini-zoo as it serves as a rescue centre, he said.

DFO Ashok Pratap Singh said the elephants were being sent to Jaldapara as Jhargram did not have the infrastructure for grooming pachyderms as 'kunki', specially trained to catch wild elephants.

The infrastructure was available only in Jaldapara and Gorumara National Park in West Bengal, he said.

After training, these two elephants would be used for forest patrolling and conducting elephant rides for tourists, he said.