Pachyderm fleet from Karnataka on its way to PTR

Chief wildlife warden with Karnataka Government has recommended for transfer of four elephants, including a nine-month-old male calf, to Jharkhand.

The State officials  had written  a  letter to this effect to Additional Chief Secretary, Karnataka. A copy of this letter was also sent to IG Project Elephant Delhi and PCCF Jharkhand. Sources said the elephants ‘Sita’ with her calf, Gange along with Maithili would be translocated.

The Pioneer has accessed  the letter written by PCCF and chief wildlife warden of Jharkhand Lal Ratnakar Singh to his counterpart in Karnataka stating that since Karnataka has spare elephants, they can be given to Jharkhand for patrolling and tourism purposes. The letter had asked for female elephants to which the Karnataka official has agreed.

Confirming the development, MP Singh, CCF cum Field Director PTR said, “PCCF Lal Ratnakar Singh had written to Karnataka’s Chief Wildlife Warden about the elephants to be transferred here in Jharkhand’s PTR and incidentally there is a male calf with one of them. So this calf will accompany his mother as well as   the gift.”

Deputy Director North division of PTR AK Mishra recently visited three camp elephants Dubare, Mathigodu and Rampura in Karnataka and selected the three female elephants. Mishra made this selection in consultation with the vet doctor of Karnataka who was with him during his visit to these camps.

MP Singh said that ‘Maithili’ is 44-year-old while ‘Gange’ is 22 years  and ‘Sita’ is of 16-year-old. The elephants are to be brought here by road and would be lodged here at Purana Palamu Quila inside the PTR.

Two CCF cum Field Directors of Bandipur and Rajiv Gandhi National Park Hunsur in Karnataka have given their consent for transfer of the elephants. The transfer is expected to boost patrolling and tourism activities since tourists prefer elephant ride in tiger reserve. PTR has lost ‘Anarkali’ few months ago and since then tourists coming to Betla are to rely on ‘Juhi’.