Captive elephants from different parts of Kerala were roped in at the Kerala Elephant Owners Federation state conference in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday.
Transport Minister KB Ganesh Kumar, who is also the state president of the Kerala Elephant Owners Federation (KEOF), has expressed concern over the absence of dedicated treatment facilities for captive elephants in the state.
The state conference chairman of the federation said here on Wednesday that the state government was considering steps to set up a super specialized elephant hospital at Guruvayur.
He said that discussions were held with Animal Husbandry Minister J. Chinchurani and Chairman and Trustee of Guruvayur Devaswa in this regard.
The proposed hospital, he added, could be equipped with modern diagnostic tools. Negotiations were underway with private companies for the acquisition of such equipment. The Guruvayur Devaswom Board has expressed its willingness to cooperate in the project, he said.
Highlighting the lack of trained veterinarians capable of handling elephants, the minister said very few veterinarians in the state were trained in elephant-specific medicine. He called on the Minister of Animal Husbandry to select interested veterinarians and send them to Thailand for advanced training in view of the country’s world-class elephant care centers.
Inaugurating the conference, Forest Minister AK Saseendran pledged all support to ensure the welfare of pachyderms. The demands of elephant owners will be considered with due seriousness, he said.
Kerala Forest Development Corporation Chairperson Lathika Subhash, KEOF General Secretary PS Raveendranathan and Organization Secretary K. Mahesh and Kerala Festival Coordinating Committee Working President Rajesh Pallatt spoke.
Published – 12 Nov 2025 20:27 IST
