Seoni (Madhya Pradesh): A recovery camp for the elephants housed at Pench Tiger Reserve is currently underway from August 9 to 14. Inaugurated by Devaprasad J, the Regional Director of the reserve, the camp aims to provide both physical and mental respite to these hard-working animals.

Every morning, the mahouts bring the elephants from the jungle to the camp where they receive comprehensive care, including a bath, a complete grooming similar to that in a beauty salon and a nutritious meal. Their feet are massaged with neem oil and their heads with castor oil. The elephants are then fed seasonal fruits such as coconuts, bananas, sugarcane, maize, apples, papayas and palm sugar, as well as roti.

Holistic care and health monitoring

The rejuvenation camp is not only about the beauty of the elephants, but also about their health. The services offered include manicure and pedicure, disease detection through blood tests, teeth cleaning and deworming, vitamins, liver tonic and other necessary medicines.

Meet the working elephants

Rajneesh Singh, deputy director of Pench Tiger Reserve, said, “Currently, there are 10 elephants in Pench Tiger Reserve, of which seven are males – Jung Bahadur, Ganesh, General Cariappa, General Thimmayya, Bali, Love and Maruti – and three females named Saraswati, Sharon and Damini. These elephants play a crucial role in patrolling, tiger surveillance, wildlife monitoring, wildlife translocation and monsoon patrolling. The rest camp allows them to spend time together and strengthen their bonds, which is important as they often live apart due to their work requirements.”

Health and well-being of the mahouts

Rajneesh Singh stresses the importance of these camps for the physical and mental health of the elephants. Wildlife veterinarian Akhilesh Mishra, along with other health experts, conducts check-ups on both the elephants and their mahouts. This initiative ensures that the health of the elephants and the people who care for them is closely monitored and maintained.

The importance of rejuvenation camps

These camps are vital for the elephants as they provide them with a week of rest and enjoyment, which is vital for their wellbeing. As the elephants are the only means of transport in the park, they need to be in top physical and mental shape, which underlines the value of this annual rejuvenation event.

Read more: Pench Tiger Reserve is India’s first and Asia’s fifth Dark Sky Park