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Asom animal lovers flock to see injured
baby elephant

     Guwahati (Asom): Animal lovers are flocking to get a glimpse of an injured baby elephant in Asom. The two-year-old Rinki who was hit by a bus was brought to the Asom Veterinary College here by his owner for treatment. Veterinary officials said the elephant calf is suffering from a spinal chord fracture.

     "The elephant calf has come to our college for treatment and after arrival we have examined that it is suffering from fracture of the vertical column. So, because of this reason, the elephant is developing paralysis on the postural side," said B Sharma, Veterinarian. The owner of the elephant, who has already spent 40,000 rupees, is now looking for financial support for the treatment. "I have spent a lot of money on the treatment of the elephant which is very expensive," said Habibur Rehman, owner. Several non-government orgainsations and animal lovers have come forward to provide medical assistance to the injured calf. With forest cover dwindling in the north-eastern parts of the country, elephants and other animals regularly come out of their natural habitat in search of food, triggering conflict with locals. The jungles of north-east India are home to about 7,500 elephants, half the country's total elephant population. But, in the recent years, the otherwise calm elephants have been getting into conflict with villagers. As they fall a victim to the increased poaching for ivory and their habitats disappear, many stray out of the forest to block roads and rail tracks or look for food in built-up areas. As their traditional habitats are taken over by man, elephants have been raiding military depots, drinking liquor, terrorising and killing villagers, destroying their farm houses and leaving a trail of destruction in large parts of Asom. Elephants are revered in India, but gradually the respect for the animals and the taboo against killing them is being worn down by conflict. India has an estimated 30,000 wild and captive elephants, about half of whom live in the isolated northeast bound by Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Myanmar and Nepal.
-Dec 6,  2006

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