Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR) will get four elephants to strengthen its patrolling team by the end of September. Four jumbos, including three male Bhima (30), Subramanaya (29), Ranjan (25) and a female elephant, from Karnataka’s Motigodu and Dubare camps will join the PTR patrolling team. “It is for the first time PTR will get elephants for patrolling, rescue and monitoring task in the forest. We have completed all procedures and formalities with the Karnataka Forest Department. By September end we will get these jumbos,” Prabhunath Shukla, Field Director, PTR told The Hitavada. With the help of the jumbos, patrolling will be strengthened in dense forest areas where vehicles don’t have access. The elephants will play a major role in rescue operations of tigers. With elephants available at PTR, eco-tourism will get a boost, said the Field Director.

 

“We have established two protection camps in Chorbaoli Forest Range of PTR for these elephants. The Borban camp situated on the banks of Lower Pench dam will be the next home to these four elephants. The other camp which is close to the Borban camp will accommodate more elephants in future,” Shukla said. “The camps are deep inside the forest with less human intervention. The camp has kitchen, storage, medicine and medical supplies, micro chipping and other facilities,” Shukla added. Along with these elephants, PTR will also get four Mahouts from Karnataka. “We will get four Mahouts with these elephants, four more will come in about 2 months.

 

We are also planning to get more Mahouts from other parts of Maharashtra who can take care of more elephants in the PTR,” Shukla informed. The Forest Department was planning to get elephants for patrolling and rescue tasks from last few years. The Department felt the requirement of elephants for these tasks during the rescue operation of T1 tigress (Avni). Then, the Department had brought elephants from Madhya Pradesh. “The project cost is Rs 80 lakh and we have sought funds under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA),” Shukla added.