27 February, 2020

A morning walk before the first meal!





There is a routine to the elephants in the elephant truing centre which is, 20 kilometres away from our home!

The chief trainer has a schedule for each elephant. Before dawn they are taken for a long walk through the forest, which is a time of training with new instruction modes introduced to them each day. It is also a way they get domesticated once they are brought from the wild. 

Following this, they fetch their food, some leaves and grass. It is after that they are given a cereal meal in front of all visitors. The next in the morning schedule is bath, either in the river or in the yard. 

I felt fascinated by the orderly behaviour of all the six elephants. It takes ten years of training before a person is certified to be independently ready to take charge of training one elephant. 

All elephants are 'wild' by nature and instinct. At the end of five years or so, they become human and environment friendly. It is then they take part in processions and festivals!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)


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