Guwahati: Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR) have opened the elephant feeding center in Mihimukh, which is the first first initiative in the state to attract tourists.
Under the monitoring of veterinarians and masters, tourists, by paying minimal fees, now it will be able to feed the elephant from close.
“Overall 15 elephants can be fed in a single way.
All of our domestic elephants belong to Kaziranga and the government pay for daily rations,” said Director Knptr P Sivakumar.
He said the center would help develop an understanding among tourists about ways of coexisting with animals.
“Human-animal conflicts are not a big problem in Kaziranga.
Even during the floods, villagers nearby protect the animals and that’s why Kaziranga is a success story,” added Sivakumar, underlining that the center would help visitors understand better elephant behavior.
The human-elephant conflict is the main problem in several parts of the country, especially during the rice harvest season.
People come to watch and feed elephants at Mihimukh gate regularly, even though it’s not simplified.
MK YADAVA, Head of Wildlife Warden, Assam, inaugurated a “Elephant camp” (domestic elephant feeding center) for tourists, where the visit time will start at 15:00 to 5:00.
Yadava said tourists will be able to offer food to elephants, but in the presence of mercy, so every unwanted incident does not occur.
While facilities like that attract a large number of tourists in South India, the opening center in Kaziranga will make tourists more familiar with Jumbos food habits.
Range Officer Forest, Kaziranga Range, Kohora, Bibhuti Ranjan Gogoi, said, “The NTPR authority feeds the elephant, taken on safari, in the afternoon.
But in the center of the dining, tourists will be able to enjoy feeding animals from a platform.” Banana trees, Gram and sugar cane are elephant male staples.
“We have built a platform with a safe distance from which tourists can enjoy breastfeeding,” he said but added that tourists were not permitted to bring food for elephants.