Elephant Balarama, known for his participation in Mysuru Dasara, dies due to age-related illness

08-05-2023

Elephant Balarama, a popular tusker who participated in the famous Mysuru Dasara festival, passed away due to age-related illnesses on Sunday.

Balarama was 67 years old and had been suffering from several infections, including tuberculosis, which led to his death.

Balarama had carried the Golden Howdah for 14 years, the longest period for any tusker, and was a majestic and serene-looking elephant who was widely favored.

Despite weighing roughly 4,000 kg, Balarama's weight had fallen to around 3,200 kg due to his illness.

The forest department personnel will conduct the postmortem on today, and Balarama will be given a state funeral.

Due to his tuberculosis infection, the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change has instructed that Balarama's carcass not be left for vultures to feed on.

Most of the camp elephants have tuberculosis, and annual checkups are conducted to ensure that any infections are under control. Balarama had TB, but his mahout tested negative for the disease.

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