‘Jaini’ is latest entrant to the Elephant Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre near Tiruchi

Jaini, a 58-yr-old elephant, was translocated to the Elephant Rescue & Rehabilitation Centre in Tiruchi. With 11 elephants now, the centre provides a safe haven with facilities like swimming pool, mud bath, CCTV, dedicated walking path, and dietary schedule. The centre is run by the TN Forest Dept. to meet the physical & psychological needs of the captive elephants.

  Fifty-eight-year-old ‘Jaini’ is the latest addition at the Elephant Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre at M.R. Palayam near Tiruchi. The private captive elephant was translocated from Tirunelveli district to the centre on Tuesday. With the entry of ‘Jaini, the total number of captive elephants being taken care of at the centre has now risen to 11. 

The decision to translocate the pachyderm to the centre was based on an order issued by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden, Chennai, following complaints from non-governmental organisations that ‘Jaini’ was being tortured and used for begging. Further, no licence was obtained for maintaining the elephant, which was not being taken care of properly, said a senior Forest Department official here. 

Acting on complaints, the District Forest Officer, Tirunelveli, sent a report to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden, Chennai, who issued an order to translocate the elephant.  Upon reaching the centre in the morning, the Tiruchi Forest Department officials examined the elephant. A veterinary doctor examined the health condition of the pachyderm and checked its weight.

The veterinary doctor prescribed the dietary schedule for the elephant and periodic health check up to be done at the centre. The elephant was active and a temporary shelter has been put up to maintain it at the centre, the official said. Arrangement for a separate mahout and cavadi to take care of ‘Jaini’ has been made.

Established on 20 hectares, the centre is being run by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department taking care of the physical and psychological requirements of the captive elephants translocated from different places in Tamil Nadu since 2019.  The centre functions inside the M.R. Palayam reserve forest adjoining the Tiruchi - Chennai national highway.

A host of facilities have been created inside the centre that includes a swimming pool for the elephants, separate shelter for every animal, a dedicated walking path, a shower system for the animals to chill out, provision of mud bath facility, a separate kitchen and quarters for the mahouts, cavadis and Forest Department officials. 

Six borewells have been sunk inside the spacious centre to meet the drinking water requirements of the elephants and for their bathing. A dietary schedule prescribed by the veterinary doctor was being followed for the elephants which includes green fodder, fruits and vegetables.