My Wildlife Success Story: Orphan Elephant Calf
One the occasion of world Elephant Day , Pashudhan Praharee presents a story of an Orphan Elephant calf nicely narrated by Dr.K.Asokan.B.V.Sc..Forest Veterinary Officer. Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve.
Rearing :We received 15days old calf from Sathiyamangalam forest area in 1997..
The innocent victims of the human elephant conflict are the calves or baby elephants who are left orphaned due to the death of their mother, or separated from the herd in the process of being chased away by farmers. Alone and helpless in a world that was moments ago its playground, alongside its family to care and comfort, it is left to fight the battle between life and death in this unforgiving world. ………….
Diet of elephant calves
1. Initial diet: For the first 45 days, after arrival, it is advisable to feed only milk. Milk powder ie. Amul Spray, (baby food, available in the market) may be used instead of milk, as it is rich in iron contents. Milk powder can also be stored for long periods and can be prepared afresh before every feed. Goat’s milk is an alternate or substitute to milk powder, but it is difficult to obtain in sufficient quantities of the same. Cow’s milk is not advisable for calves, since it (contains large fat globules and) causes diarrhoea. Cow’s milk available commercially from market, is not safe as it may be adulterated.
2. Mode of feeding: The milk can be fed using an enema can. Enema can offers the following advantages when compared to bottle feeding.
The flow of milk can be regulated
The flow is smooth and uninterrupted
Easy to clean and store.
Bottle feeding can be time consuming as each bottle has to be changed or refilled and the calf may get impatient. It may pull too hard at the nipple on the bottle, if one is not careful.
3. Frequency of feed: Normally up to 2 months, calves suckle their mother every 60-90 minutes. During each feed they consume at least 1 lit of milk. The same pattern can be applied to hand reared calves. Calf should cry out when hungry. It is a sign of appetite and also progress in health. It can be fed regularly between 5 AM and 10 PM.
4. Concentration of feed: Studies have shown that concentration of mother’s milk (ie of cow elephants), varies as the calf grows older. The first few days after delivery, the elephant milk contains colostrum, essential for the calves to develop immunity. It is therefore essential to duplicate the function of colostrum with artificially prepared milk. In a zoo condition, it is possible to draw the milk out of the mother which has rejected its calf and administer this milk to the calf.
Initially, the concentration of the milk powder must be very low (ie highly diluted with water). For the first week, the feed should contain 50 gms of milk powder in 1 litre of water. This can be continued and later the concentration of powder can be increased. If the calf is feeding well, it will manifest signs of health such as urination 10-12 times a day and faecal excretion twice a day. The dung may be semisolid and slightly yellow in colour. A healthy calf will rest between feeds.
5. Concentrate foods: After 2 months, the calf can be introduced to semisolid foods like cereals, rice, tapioca ragi etc. Ragi has to be processed properly. Dirt and stones have to be removed by winnowing and the ragi soaked in water for 4-5 hours. The soaked ragi is then suspended in a moist sack and allowed to sprout. The sprouts are dried in the sun, fried in a pan and powdered finely. For adults, the powdering does not have to be very fine. The processed ragi has to be stored in a dry place, to prevent fungal attack. Ragi is an excellent concentrate feed, as it has a balanced calcium and phosphorus ratio.
A well nourished calf is very active. Hand reared calves generally have a slow growth rate when compared to calves raised by their mothers. After 6 months, the calf can be introduced to solid foods. The milk intake can be reduced to 1 – 1/2 litres/day until the 1st year.
6. Green fodder : Calves have a tendency to eat mud. They should be discouraged from doing so, until three to four months of age. Calves in a herd, imitate feeding habits of their mother or other adults of the herd. Around the 2nd or the 3rd month, they eat their mother’s fresh dung, which encourages the growth of bacterial flora in the intestine. This helps in digestion of green fodder, which the calf may begin eating soon. The hand reared calf is given a similar stimulant. Fresh dung of one of the healthy cow-elephants from the camp is collected, diluted in water, filtered and administered to the calf.
Around 8-9 months of age, calves consume 30-40 kg of fodder per day. They sometimes suffer from lack of appetite. Carminative mixture concentrate (which has to be stocked adequately in the camp), can be mixed with the feed, to help digestion. 500 gms of glucose, vitamins and calcium tablets can also be administered, along with the feed.
Calves have to be weighed and measured regularly. Healthy calf weighs between 80-100 kgs at birth. They gain at least 2 inches in height every year.
By -Dr.K.Asokan.B.V.Sc..Forest Veterinary Officer. Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve.
