Maharashtra forest department's elephant camp welcomes its newest resident, Saee

The state forest department's only camp for elephants at Kamlapur in Gadchiroli district has a new resident. A female elephant calf 'Saee' was born on Tuesday to Rani and Ajit.

The elephant camp, which was established around 50 years ago in Sironcha taluka, has a total of eight elephants, including matriarch Basanti, who is aged around 55 and alpha male Ajit (23). These elephants have been kept at the camp ever since their use for timber logging was stopped. Saee's birth has taken the numbers to nine.

Tushar Chavan, Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF), Sironcha, said the calf had been birthed with help from veternerians and forest staff.

"Two veterinarians examined Saee and found that all parameters are normal. She is a healthy baby. Rani was under observation for the last three days. The labour started Monday night," added Chavan.

The state forest department plans to develop the elephant camp to create a unique tourist experience for visitors, who will be able to touch and feed these semi-captive pachyderms in their natural habitat during prescribed timings. The state government plans to wean local villagers from Left wing extremism and illicit timber felling using the visitor inflows in the area.

Chavan said work on tourist amenities would start after they received funds. The project is expected to be completed next year.

Basanti, who is now the matriarch, was brought to the camp in 1962 and mated with Mahalinga, (now dead). Her progeny are Ajit (1994) and Mangala (1989). Ajit sired Lakshmi (who has been shifted to the Tadoba Andhari tiger reserve), Priyanka, Ganesh, Rani and Aditya.