Betla National Park’s star attraction Anarkali a female elephant is seriously battling for life as her condition is sinking very fast. Sources said the pachyderm fell on the ground and since then she is not on her legs but belly on Sunday.
locals said, “Jo haathi baith gaya uska khara hona namumkin hai’ ( An elephant that sits down seldom gets up). This fear is haunting most the PTR officials.
Sources said a team of senior vet doctors from Ghatsila Ranchi and Barwadeeh has examined this female jumbo. She has been put on higher antibiotics. Injections and saline dips are being administered to her through her big ear veins.
The field director cum chief conservator of forest PTR MP Singh has given strict order to his PTR officials to do all to save this female elephant. Singh has asked DFO core Anil K Mishra to personally oversee the medical treatment of this Anarkali.
DFO Core PTR AK Mishra said, “Anarkali’s legs are not supporting her and she has lied down since Sunday.” Mishra said the preliminary health probe of her suggested this jumbo to be suffering from kidney failure. He said the attendants of this elephant are trying to feed her kheera and louki.
Asked if the Park officials at any stage neglected her failing health Mishra said, “Everyone who works in the Park has a very strong bond with this Anarkali and her suffering cannot go un noticed. She has been well taken care of but fatality to wild life is as inevitable as human being’.
Anarkali and Juhi are the two elephants who used to give early morning ride to tourists in the National Park Betla. With Anarkali down Juhi is all alone. It is telling upon the tourists who make demand for elephant ride. Juhi does two trips in the morning and then goes for food and rest.
Mishra conceded that with Anarkali so down and in ‘bed’ (read on soil) tourists are most disappointed .
Anarkali has joined this Park when her age was just 20. She has been giving the ride to tourists since more than two decades said PTR sources.
Sources said the PTR officials were apprehensive of her failing health and as such has initiated move to bring in two elephants from Dalma to Betla in PTR added Mishra.
Sources said there is one orphaned elephant Rakhi in the Park but she is under age to give any ride to tourists.
Sources said PTR officials have stepped up their effort for importing 2 elephants in betla otherwise tourism this season is most likely to suffer a jolt by this acute illness of Anarkali.