Neel Bahadur is an abandoned elephant calf with a limb broken in a tiger attack in 2011 at Dhikala in Corbett tiger reserve.
He was rescued by the Corbett authorities and is undergoing treatment at Bijrani in the tiger reserve. However, due to a broken limb and the increasing body weight of the now adolescent Neel Bahadur, the elephant has not been able to stand up for some months now and is suffering in pain though the Corbett authorities are administering treatment and hoping for a miracle. Veterinarians, the Corbett honourary wildlife warden Brijendra Singh and wildlife activists are of the opinion that the elephant should be euthanised if there is no scope for improvement in his condition.
According to Singh, the calf was found abandoned near the Dhikala tower after being injured in a tiger attack. “The calf’s mother was young and probably got scared of the tiger but stayed with her calf for three days before abandoning him at the site where there was no shelter. After being rescued, the baby elephant was first treated at the Remount and Veterinary Corps (RVC) at Hempur where they did a good job. However, since then, Neel Bahadur has grown in size and weight,” Singh said. “Some time ago he had started using his trunk as a limb, but due to increasing body weight and a broken limb is now unable to stand on his own. Because of the given circumstances, unfortunately he should be euthanised, but the professional wildlife manager is in a Catch-22 situation. We lack a proper rehabilitation centre or trained personnel dedicated to this purpose. We need cranes, trucks and dedicated personnel to handle situations like the one Neel Bahadur is in but we lack these,” he rued.
Corbett deputy director Dr Saket Badola said that Neel Bahadur is now aged about three years and has not been able to stand for about four months now. “We had veterinarians and experts check him and assess the situation. The Wildlife Trust of India chief veterinary officer Dr NVK Ashraf also checked him. The veterinarians are of the view that giving the elephant a prosthetic limb is possible but not feasible. The calf was treated at RVC earlier but due to multiple fractures on the left foreleg, the natural alignment could not be achieved during surgery. We are presently feeding him and treating the sores formed on his body from sitting for a prolonged period. The vets have approved this treatment and though his future is said to be bleak, we are continuing the treatment and hoping for a miracle,” he said.
People for Animals, Uttarakhand member secretary Gauri Maulekhi states that only a veterinarian registered with the State veterinary council can decide on whether to euthanise the elephant. “The Wildlife Institute of India should be contacted and a decision on the euthanisation should be taken by an authorised vet. We believe that if all possible treatment has been tried without success, an animal should be euthanised if there is no other option to end its misery,” she said.