Jumbo in ‘love’, whisks away six females into rhino zone!

Dudhwa National Park officials successfully returned seven camp elephants, including a male in 'musth,' to their base camp after a two-week search.

Dudhwa National Park (DNP) officials heaved a sigh of relief on Thursday when they successfully brought back six female and a male camp elephant to their base camp in south Sonaripur range of the park.

Dudhwa National Park (DNP) officials along with rescued camp elephants at the base camp on Thursday. (HT)

The seven camp elephants-one male in ‘musth’ condition and six females- were away from the base camp since August 14 and were roaming deep inside the rhino area.

It took a fortnight of intensive watch and surveillance inside the dense rhino rehabilitation area-1 (RRA-1) by DNP teams to locate the camp elephants and persuade them to come back to their base camp.

According to officials, Dudhwa national park has 25 camp elephants which are used in patrolling, tourist activities and handling conflicts with wild animals.

However, on the eve of Independence day, one of the male elephants named Gajraj went into ‘musth’ condition (when male elephant shows aggressive behaviour accompanied by a rise in reproductive hormones).

In his sheer excitement, he broke loose of his chains when the six female elephants namely Pawankali, Sulochana, Suheli, Chameli, Kaveri and Kiran, were being taken into the rhino rehabilitation area-1 in south Sonaripur range of the park for grazing.

Male elephant Gajraj chased the female elephants inside the rhino area.

In view of his aggressive temperament, the mahouts controlling the female elephants left them with Gajraj and intimated the park authorities.

Deputy director Dudhwa National Park Rengaraju Tamilselvan said Gajraj along with six other female elephants went deep into the rhino area, following which teams were deployed to locate and keep watch on their movements.

He added that since August 15, several attempts were made to bring them back, however, Gajraj in his ‘musth’ condition did not allow anyone to approach them.

“Once, the Gajraj chased our jeep when we attempted to reach them,” he added and said “in their ‘musth’ condition, elephants have a very bad temperament and it becomes very risky to approach them.”

The deputy director said, “On Thursday, the patrolling teams once again located the camp elephants, including Gajraj, whose temperament seemed to be somewhat relaxed, following which Gajraj’s feet were tied with ropes and he was brought to the base camp.”

Likewise, the mahouts also brought back the six female elephants to the base camp.