Thrissur: Two young elephants of Guruvayur Devaswom (GD) are undergoing treatment at its Punnathur Kotta Elephant sanctuary after they collapsed due to foot disease and arthritis on Sunday. Elephants Gokul aged 22 and Adithyan, 21, are being treated by a panel of GD veterinary doctors. Officials of the livestock wing of GD told DC that Gokul had a history of diseases and was in musth while Adithayan, whose growth is stunted, is having problems standing on its feet.
Meanwhile, Heritage Animal Task Force, a pro-animal organization based in Thrissur filed a complaint with the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) on Tuesday alleging that both the elephants were kept out of public gaze and were standing with the support of stumps made of bamboo. The activists alleged that for several years now the AWBI had been asking the GD to make sheds for all pachyderms but the Devaswom had not met the requirement for all its animals so they could stand, in case of ailment, by using belts tied to the top of the shelter.
