World Elephant Day Celebrated in Bannerghatta Biological Park

Bengaluru: On the occasion of World Elephant Day, Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP) acknowledges the contribution of Mahouts and their families in the welfare of elephants.

On this occasion elephant calves at Bannerghatta zoo were given multiple feeding enrichment to increase foraging time and encourage natural behaviour. Enrichment included two fire hose balls filled grass along with treats such as carrot, sweet potato, banana, watermelon, sugarcane and jaggery. A fire hose was tied with multiple food items and tied to a tree to encourage animal to use its trunk to grab food from height. Also a pipe filled with treats were placed in the enclosure for the animal to use its trunk to pull out the food from inside. One of the elder calf Airavata ran away with a fire hose ball to feast on the treats inside it. While Suresh spent time in pulling out food from pipe and Rita, Gowri were seen foraging food which was hung using fire hose and another ball respectively.

Further to create awareness, display of posters, touch table with elephant dung to explain their role in maintaining a balance in the ecosystem made available both online and offline for public information. To sensitize children towards conservation of wildlife, elephant in specific, a drawing and elocution competition is conducted online through social media platform and entries can be sent to educationbbp@gmail.com.

Further a video has been released by the Member Secretary, Zoo Authority of Karnataka, Mysore Sri B.P Ravi, regarding preparation of nutritious ragi balls (Ragimudde) for elephants said press release.