Jumbo
rally at Kaziranga elephant festival
Kaziranga:
Elephants of varying ages and sizes converged at Kaziranga
Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam on Thursday to take part in
the four-day annual elephant festival that is organised
with a view to ending the man-animal conflict. Organised
by the Assam Tourism department (ATD), the festival commenced
on Monday provided an opportunity for locals as well as
domestic and foreign tourists to experience the ecological
diversity of the region. Over 60 elephants and more than
20 cultural troupes from various communities of Assam
assembled to spread the message of peaceful co-existence
between man and animal. Hundreds of visitors witnessed
an elephant expert spelling out different commands, which
the elephants obeyed in utmost silence sans any resentment.
A tourist Rajesh Verma was ecstatic about the festival
and said, "We wish that such festivals are organised outside
the North East as well so that people get to observe the
natural beauty and its resources and more and more people
can come here."
The
jungles of the North East are home to about thousands
of elephants, almost half the country's total elephant
population. However, in recent years the normally gentle
animals have been frequently coming into conflict with
humans and often resulting in fatality and destruction
of property. Kaziranga, with its tall thickets of elephant
grass, is ideal habitat for the pachyderms and the famed
one-horned rhino, tigers, wild buffaloes, sloth bears,
tigers and deer. As they fall victim to 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 human habitation.
-Feb
12, 2009
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