Andal, the ailing elephant of Madurai Sri Kallazhagar Temple arrives at Kurumapatti Zoological Park in Salem on Friday. -

The ailing elephant, ‘Andal,’ of Madurai Sri Kallazhagar Temple, arrived at the Kurumbapatti Zoological Park here from Mudumalai sanctuary on Friday morning after surviving a long and strenuous overnight journey.

The 42-year-old temple elephant, suffering from tuberculosis (TB), was transported to Salem in a lorry following an order from Madras High Court. On a writ petition filed by a Chennai-based animal activist and lawyer G. Rajendran, the court had observed that ailing and domesticated animals or elephants should not be kept in sanctuaries such as Mudumalai as it would infect the healthy and wild animals.

Animal activists say that keeping a TB-affected animal, a rare occurrence among wild elephants, would spread the disease among animals that live in Mudumalai sanctuary, a house for nearly 4,000 elephants.

When Andal was diagnosed for TB, she became restless and the HR and CE Board during February this year had ordered her shifting to Thorapalli in Mudumalai from the abode of Lord Kallazhar. Since then Forest officials had been maintaining the animal.

The court while observing that elephants domesticated and sick should not be taken to hill stations including Mudumalai, had allowed the petitioner to take Andal to the Salem Zoological Park, which offered an environment closer to natural habitat but ensured a secluded location within its fenced premises. So that the ailing animal could be treated without any fears of spreading the disease. The park at the foothills of Shevaroys, has a strong population of Indian Gaurs. It has not recorded the presence of elephants.

Rajendran, also known as ‘elephant’ Rajendran, told The Hindu that he came to Salem to study the facilities before shifting Andal.

He said that the court had instructed him to bear the cost of the transport and medical care. As medical care for treating TB in elephants was at nascent stage in India, a team of veterinarians from United Kingdom had come. Another team of animal activists from India Project for Animals and Nature had accompanied her from Mudumalai.

“It is a highly humanitarian act but an elephantine endeavour. For,the treatment alone may cost Rs. 25 lakhs. Who will join me?" asks Rajendran.

Source: THE HINDU