The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Mudumalai elephant joins list of “pensioners”

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Saturday, Aug 18, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Mudumalai elephant joins list of “pensioners”

Special Correspondent

Bama was given a farewell on Independence Day

Time to take rest: Bama, which attained “superannuation” in the Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park near Udhagamandalam.

Udhagamandalam: A familiar figure at the Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park has earned a much deserved rest: it has joined the list of “pensioners.”

Bama, a female elephant, was captured on August 1, 1963 in the Anamalai Wildlife Sanctuary when it was about 15 years old.

In 1965, it was brought to the Mudumalai sanctuary. Having attained the age of 60, it “retired” on July 31.

Farewell function

A farewell function for Bama formed part of this year’s Independence Day celebrations at Mudumalai.

The pachyderm, cynosure of all eyes at the function, was garlanded and provided special food.

It would remain at Mudumalai. Many in the sanctuary saw it sauntering away from its work spot.

They recalled the different ways in which Bama had endeared itself to the forest staff and others. Stating that a rest diet had been prescribed for the pachyderm by the forest veterinarian Kalaivanan, Wildlife Warden Rakesh Kumar Dogra told The Hindu here on Friday that it had been provided with a mahout to attend to its needs.

Bama had given birth to two male and two female calves. While Rukku was given to the Tiruvannamalai temple, Bairavi died in 1999. Wasim was at Mudumalai and Mahesh had been sold to Devar Films.

Dr. Kalaivanan said that out of the 24 departmental elephants at Mudumalai, Bama was the most docile and many enjoyed riding it.

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