Elephants beat the heat with showers, fruits at Trichy rehab centre

TRICHY: As Trichy continues to experience scorching summer temperatures, the Tamil Nadu forest department has introduced several cooling measures to refresh and rejuvenate the rehabilitating elephants at the Elephant Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (ERRC) in Marama Reddy Palayam (MR Palayam), Manachanallur.Located in a reserve forest area along the Trichy-Chennai national highway, around 35km from Trichy city, the ERRC has served as a sanctuary for aged and abused captive elephants since 2019.To provide relief from the intense heat, the department has installed new rain guns this year, in addition to the existing mist foggers, overhead showers, mud baths, and swimming pools.A hydrotherapy pool was also introduced last year, offering the elephants therapeutic water-based exercises that aid both physical rehabilitation and cooling during the peak summer months.Trichy forest range officer V P Subramaniam said the team is regularly using these facilities to keep the elephants comfortable. “We regularly shower the elephants using rain guns, mist foggers, and overhead showers. We also provide them with mud baths, swimming pools, and the hydrotherapy pool. These measures help re-energize and rejuvenate them,” he explained.Under the guidance of chief conservator of forests N Kanchana and district forest officer S Krithiga, a dedicated team of 19 staff members — including a ranger, a forester, a veterinarian, four forest guards, two watchers, five mahouts, and five assistant mahouts — is working to ensure the proper care and rehabilitation of the elephants.The centre currently houses five elephants which includes Gomathi, 71, a former temple elephant from Thiruvidaimarudur Mahalingaswami temple and Sundari, 68 Sumathi, 61, Malachi, 38, and Roofali, 24, who were privately owned.Apart from their regular diet of 150 to 200kg of green fodder, concentrated feed, and vegetables per elephant, the staff are also feeding them large quantities of high-water-content fruits such as watermelon, jackfruit, and muskmelon. “The water-rich fruits will help them stay hydrated and refreshed during the summer,” Subramaniam added.Officials have noted encouraging results from these initiatives. Additional chief secretary for environment, climate change and forests, Supriya Sahu, praised the team’s efforts, saying, “Our forest team in Trichy is doing everything possible to keep the elephants comfortable during the scorching heat. The elephants are playing, bonding, and enjoying themselves. Their happiness is all we desired, and it is truly heartwarming.”