Animal activists have complained that an ‘ailing elephant’ is being denied proper treatment and is being illegally kept at a location at Nedumangad here.
In a complaint sent to various officials including the Chief Wildlife Warden, the Thrissur-based Heritage Animal Task Force has alleged that an elephant, Harikrishnan, aged 22, which belongs to the Moodayil Sreekrishna temple, near Haripad, was being denied proper treatment.
The forum alleged that the elephant had serious internal injuries in one of its tusks.
However, forest officials maintained that the allegations were misguided and that no offence could be detected upon inspection.
P.K. Venkitachalam, secretary of the NGO, called for transferring the elephant to the Kottoor elephant rehabilitation camp for proper treatment. He alleged that the elephant was in the custody of illegal elephant contractors who followed the practice of accepting elephants from their custodians on rent and then illegally renting them out to other festival contractors. He claimed that the particular elephant was also illegally transferred. The Wildlife Protection Act strictly prohibited this type of transfer of elephants, Mr. Venkitachalam said.
He alleged that there were 427 elephants that were kept illegally, without having any statutory ownership certificate, by elephant contractors in the State.
Deterioration of tusks
Official sources said that the elephant suffered from a gradual deterioration of its tusks, similar to osteoporosis seen in humans. “The elephant was brought by the temple authorities to a convenient location near Nedumangad for treatment. It is currently being treated by an expert veterinary surgeon, who has been engaged by the temple authorities. Besides, the forest veterinary officer has examined the elephant and has found it to be healthy. The ongoing treatment has also been found to be satisfactory,” an official said.