As winter sets in, rescued elephants shift to enriched diet plan from December

Chanchal, Laxmi-I, Lilli and Laxmi-II — the four female elephants housed at the Chaudhary Surinder Singh Elephant Rehabilitation Centre in the Ban Santour forest area of Yamunanagar — are relishing the shift in weather and their newly introduced winter diet.

With winter setting in, the centre has revised the elephants’ food menu from December 1. Along with the diet change, the jumbos will also receive special sesame-oil massages to shield them from the cold.

The seasonal menu — updated twice a year for summer and winter — now includes millet khichdi/porridge, boiled pumpkin, seasonal fruits, health supplements, herbal spices, sesame oil, jaggery, sugarcane, gram, chyawanprash and several other items.

“With the change in weather, elephants are being taken special care of in Chaudhary Surinder Singh Elephant Rehabilitation Centre. Their winter season diet has started from December 1. They will also be massaged with sesame oil in the winter season to protect them from cold,” said Lilu Ram, Inspector, Wildlife Department.

The centre currently houses four female elephants: Chanchal (83), Laxmi-I (66), Lilli (46) and Laxmi-II (42). They are jointly cared for by the Wildlife Department and the NGO Wildlife SOS.

According to officials, Chanchal and Laxmi-I have been at the centre since April 28, 2013, Lilli since October 2014 and Laxmi-II since 2019. Chanchal and Laxmi-I were rescued from Samalkha town in Panipat, Lilli from Sirsa district and Laxmi-II from Delhi.

“This centre is spread in 50 acres, with a natural water pond. The elephants at the centre enjoy roaming freely in the jungle all day long and are free to do whatever they want,” said Inspector Lilu Ram.

He added that the primary objective of the centre is to rehabilitate elephants and provide them with high-quality veterinary care, treatment and enrichment.