World Elephant Day: Special buffet offered for pachyderms at Nehru Zoo

Hyderabad: Elephants were the centre of attraction at the Nehru Zoological Park on Thursday with the four of them getting special treats on World Elephant Day. As part of the celebrations, a special buffet of cakes was prepared and served, and the elephants gobbled them up swiftly.

The city zoo has four elephants – 51-year-old Vanaja, Asha (49), Sita (38), and Vijay, a 48-year-old male.

“The girls happily shared the three cakes between themselves, Vijay was served separately,” a zoo official said. Asked why Vijay did not join the party, the official said: “Baccha zara badmash hai (the lad is a little naughty). So, he got his treat at a separate spot.”

The special cakes, the zoo said in a release, were prepared by the zoo’s feed store staff and the animal keepers in charge of the elephants. “They were sumptuous snacks by elephant standards. Each cake was made with ragi and rice and was topped off with fruits, vegetables, sprouts and corn. Also given on the special occasion to the elephants were sugarcane pieces, pineapple, jaggery, coconut, and fresh green grass.

Zoo curator V.V.L. Subhadra Devi, said elephants should not be seen as a source of entertainment in circuses nor tortured in the name of celebrations. “We all should enjoy the beauty and grace of these huge animals,” she said.