Umaria (Madhya Pradesh): The tradition of adoption has been prevalent in India for centuries. People often would adopt orphaned children from schools, ashrams, hospitals. The central government also has directed the MPs to adopt the backward villages of their respective parliamentary constituencies.
On the same lines, a unique scheme is going to be launched at the famous Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh where people can adopt 15 domesticated elephants and a sniffer dog ‘Belly’ for the first time.
A person even from abroad would be able to adopt elephants from Bandhavgarh sitting at their home itself.
After adopting elephants, the said person will have to take full responsibility for the same. In return, such wildlife lovers will also be provided with a digital certificate. Along with the elephants' report, their names will also be recorded in the same. Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve's field director Vincent Rahim said that this elephant adoption program will be launched on the last day of the ‘Hathi Mahotsav’ or elephant festival.
The scheme is being launched on the appeal of wildlife lovers
An initiative for this kind of was proposed by the wildlife lovers for a long time ago. Inspired by those appeals only, this program is being initiated. People having special attachment to the elephants of the park will be able to adopt them. After which the adopting person will have to pay for food, medical care and maintenance of those elephants. The time period of adoption has also been fixed. The adoption period will vary from one day to week, month and year according to the appropriate fee.
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Donations can be made in four ways
Vincent Rahim said that it is not necessary for the donors to adopt the elephants for the whole year. The average daily expense of the sniffer dog is Rs 275 per day, Rs 1,925 per week, Rs 8,250 per month and about Rs 1 lakh per year. Similarly, the expenses for an elephant costs Rs 500 per day, Rs 3,500 per week, 12,500 per month and Rs 1 lakh 50 thousand per year. For this, an account is already being opened. In which the amount can be deposited through online transfers as well. A systematic account of this is also being prepared. The details of all 15 elephants shall be made available in the same.
Among those 15 elephants, 10 males are Gautam, Tufaan, Sundargaj, ashtam, Rama, Surya, Ganesh, Laxman, Shyam and Neel. Similarly, female elephants include Anarkali, Bandhavi, Poonam, Lakshmi and Kajal.
74-year-old male elephant Gautam (1946) is the eldest member of the herd. The second eldest is the 69-year-old male elephant (1951). Anarkali is the third senior-most elephant of the herd. The youngest member is Lakshmi, who was born in December 2018. In 2018, this family had 18 elephants. The female Sambhavi and one other have been permanently sent to the Sanjay Tiger Reserve for patrolling services.
