MP to get 15 elephants from Assam, forest officials to visit next week to finalise formalities

Bhopal(Madhya Pradesh): Efforts that started in the year 2012 to bring elephants to monitor tigers in Madhya Pradesh's Tiger Reserves and National Parks are now yielding results. The Assam government has finally given consent to give 15 elephants, said the forest official.

State forest officials have visited Assam twice. A third team would be sent soon, which will conduct health check-up of the elephants slated for Madhya Pradesh and will also complete other formalities of bringing them, said the Chief Wildlife Warden of Madhya Pradesh, JS Chauhan.

Efforts to bring elephants in the state started in 2012. Since then forest officials had visited Andaman and Nicobar, Assam and Karnataka.

After this, there was a discussion on bringing domestic elephants of the royal families of Rajasthan but permission had to be taken from the High Court. So the forest department withdrew the idea.

The forest officials have made about nine visits to bring elephants to Madhya Pradesh during these years. Now the Assam government has given consent to give 15 elephants.

The team led by Satpura Tiger Reserve director, L. Krishnamurthy has visited Assam twice and is now selecting the elephants to bring them to Madhya Pradesh. The third visit is scheduled but the dates will be finalized considering the weather. This time other formalities including conducting health check-up of the elephants brought here will also be completed.

JS Chauhan, Chief Wildlife Warden, said that 15 elephants will be brought from Assam. The government there has agreed to give elephants. A team is going soon, who will complete the formalities of bringing the elephant.

There are six tiger reserves and 10 national parks in the state, in which 50 elephants are required. Presently there are 28 elephants while 22 more are needed. These elephants help the forest workers to reach the tigers hiding in the bushes. When no tigers are not traced and are detected in remote (out of reach of vehicles), or they are injured and hide in bushes, then treatment is also carried to them with the help of elephants.

Usually the tiger avoids attacking the elephant. At the same time, the elephant can easily walk on any mountainous path. That's why elephants are very useful for parks.