Lifestyle disease tests, health cards for captive elephants in Keralam

Diabetes, cholesterol, and kidney ailments are no longer concerns confined to humans. Keralam’s captive elephants are now being put through an equally detailed health check-up, as a new preventive-care initiative seeks to understand and address health problems behind a worrying pattern of elephants sudden collapsing and dying.

The Kerala Elephant Owners Federation, with technical support from the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (KVASU), organised an extensive medical camp at the Sree Vadakkunnathan temple in Thrissur on Friday. Seventeen elephants brought from different parts of the State underwent the first round of screening.

The team of veterinarians led by T.S. Rajeev, Professor, Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Extension, and Director of Entrepreneurship at KVASU, conducted the examinations.

Though health examinations of captive elephants have been conducted earlier, the scale and range of investigations undertaken at the camp make this an unusually comprehensive exercise. The elephants were screened for blood sugar, cholesterol and creatinine levels, besides the functioning of their liver and kidneys.

Blood, urine and faecal samples were collected from the elephants and sent to the laboratory at KVASU for detailed analysis. The results are expected in four to five days.

Follow-up examinations

The findings will be recorded in individual health cards issued to every elephant, creating a medical history that can be used for follow-up examinations and treatment.

“If we find any health issue, we will investigate it further. There could be cases of renal compromise or other health problems that need specific attention. The blood test results and other examinations have been recorded, and any abnormality will be addressed separately,” Dr. Rajeev said.

The initiative has been prompted by concerns over the increasing number of elephants collapsing and dying suddenly. The organisers said the screening was intended to identify underlying ailments that may otherwise go unnoticed.

“We are planning to cover all captive elephants in the State. We have told elephant owners that if they arrange a vehicle, we can travel to the location and examine their elephants,” Dr. Rajeev said.

The programme has brought together a wider panel of veterinary expertise, including doctors from the Animal Husbandry department, veterinarians from the Guruvayur Devaswom and other specialists in the field. KVASU’s laboratory will conduct the tests, including those specifically required for elephants.

Every six months

The federation plans to extend the camps to Kottayam and Kollam and eventually turn the initiative into a regular health-monitoring system, with comprehensive examinations every six months.

The need for such preventive care is underscored by the sharp decline in Kerala’s captive elephant population. From more than 1,000 elephants in 2008, the number has fallen to around 366, according to figures cited by the organisers.

With every elephant loss further shrinking an already dwindling population, the health-card initiative is being seen as a step towards more systematic and preventive healthcare for Kerala’s remaining captive giants.