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Elephant old age home takes shape
In a few months the Kerala forest department will open the first old age home for captive elephants in the country at Kottoor, 70km from Thiruvananthapuram.
- IANS
- Published: 00:44 April 4, 2008
Thiruvananthapuram: In a few months the Kerala forest department will open the first old age home for captive elephants in the country at Kottoor, 70km from Thiruvananthapuram.
"We have already set up five enclosures at the facility. The first phase will be over in two months. The project will house 30 elephants in all. The work will be completed depending on release of funds," said V.S. Varghese, the state's chief wildlife warden, after submitting a detailed report on the project to Forest Minister Binoy Viswom.
The state government decided on the project following frequent reports of ill-treatment of sick and old elephants.
The cost of setting up the 100-acre 'elephant rehabilitation centre' (ERC) is pegged at 50 million rupees (Dh4.5m).
But elephant experts like Jacob Cheeran feel the initiative will fall flat if the government charges a fee for the services. "At present there are three such centres in the US and one is coming up in Spain. The initiative of the state government is commendable, but a lot of caution has to be exercised," he said.
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