Forest Department to probe choice of pregnant elephant for Shivamogga Dasara

Shivamogga City Corporation conducted the procession in which the howdah with the idol of goddess Chamundeshwari was carried on a specially-designed vehicle instead of an elephant.

The Forest Department has decided to hold an inquiry into alleged negligence in taking care of elephants at Sakrebail elephant camp. The department arrived at this decision after Nethravathi, an elephant chosen for the Dasara procession in Shivamogga, gave birth to a baby on October 23, hours before the procession.

Prasanna Krishna Patagar, DCF (Wild Life), told The Hindu that an inquiry would be ordered into the incident. The Assistant Conservator of Forests of Kargal sub-division would be entrusted with the responsibility to conduct the inquiry. “I am working on the inquiry order. The ACF will be asked to complete the enquiry within a stipulated period,” he said.

Nethravathi, aged around 25, was one of three elephants brought to Shivamogga for the procession. It took part in the rehearsals three days before giving birth on Vasavi School ground in Shivamogga. Officials shifted both the elephant and her baby to Sakrebail camp for proper care.

Later, Shivamogga City Corporation conducted the procession in which the howdah with the idol of goddess Chamundeshwari was carried on a specially-designed vehicle instead of an elephant. The other two elephants, Sagar and Hemavathi, took part in the procession.

It is not clear how the officials of the camp and the caretakers of the elephants failed to notice that the animal was pregnant. In fact, the elephant underwent a medical examination in August, when there was a proposal to take two elephants from the camp to the Mysuru Dasara.

“A blood test was conducted then. The test results did not suggest pregnancy. Anyhow, we are ordering an inquiry into the issue,” Mr. Patagar added.