Thrissur, known for its grand temple festivals and majestic elephants, witnessed an unusual sight on Friday as several captive elephants arrived in trucks at Thekkinkadu Maidan for a large health camp. The initiative aims to check the animals’ health and introduce a system to monitor their medical condition regularly.
Federation secretary K Mahesh said similar medical camps would be organised in Kottayam and Kollam later this month.
The elephants were taken to the grounds of Vadakkunnathan Temple, where a temporary medical camp had been established. Veterinary specialists collected blood, urine and dung samples to evaluate the animals’ health. During the examinations, the elephants remained calm and cooperative, standing and lying down as required while the medical teams carried out the check-ups. The camp was conducted by a team of veterinary experts led by Dr T S Rajeev, Director of Elephant Studies at Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University. Senior veterinarians Dr Shyam Venugopal and Dr Usharani were also part of the team. The health camp in Thrissur is part of a wider effort to ensure regular medical examinations and better healthcare for captive elephants in Kerala. Many of these elephants play a central role in the state’s celebrated temple festivals.
Federation secretary K Mahesh said similar medical camps would be organised in Kottayam and Kollam later this month.
The collected samples will be analysed at the veterinary university to check blood counts, glucose levels, liver and kidney functions, and possible bacterial infections. These tests will help assess the health of the elephants. The initiative comes amid growing concerns over the deaths of captive elephants in Kerala and questions about their health monitoring and care. Organised by the Kerala Elephant Owners Federation, the programme aims to introduce individual health cards for captive elephants, documenting medical assessments and enabling owners and veterinarians to monitor their health over time.
