New Delhi, December 06, 2023: The Karnataka Forest Department, in partnership with the Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (WRRC) and Bosch Global Software Technologies (BGSW), has opened the first Elephant Care Facility in the state. The facility is located in Lakshmisagara, Kolar District and is surrounded by over 100 acres of reserve forest. It has been established in response to the growing number of elephants in private ownership, which are being exploited in captivity.
There are over 180 captive elephants in Karnataka alone, many of whom are subjected to abuse and neglect in private custody. The new facility will provide the rescued elephants with a safe and healthy environment. They will have access to nutritious food, adequate water, as well as a space to walk and socialize. Trained professionals will also provide regular medical care to the elephants.
V Yedukondalu, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Kolar, Karnataka Forest Department, said, “The Elephant Care Facility is a historic moment for Karnataka, highlighting the need to address the challenges faced by captive elephants, many of whom have endured hardship and neglect. Our cultural and natural heritage includes these majestic beings, who deserve care, respect, and freedom. This facility is not just a refuge but a commitment to ensuring that every rescued and needy elephant in our state has a chance to thrive in an environment that mirrors their natural habitat as much as possible, providing them with a healthy and natural diet, socialising opportunities, and the chance to indulge in other natural behaviours which aren’t possible in captivity. We are proud to collaborate with WRRC and BGSW in setting a benchmark for ethical wildlife conservation.”
The facility is managed by the Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (WRRC), a Bengaluru-based non-profit organization. WRRC has a team of experienced veterinarians and mahouts who are dedicated to providing the elephants with the best possible care.
Suparna Baksi Ganguly, Honorable President and Co-founder, WRRC, "Elephants, as majestic and gentle creatures, deserve the utmost dignity and respect. This facility is a testament to our unwavering commitment to their welfare. We are deeply grateful to our partners, Bosch Global Software Technologies and the Karnataka Forest Department, for their dedicated support in making this safe haven a reality. Together, our efforts have set a new precedent for ethical wildlife conservation across the nation."
Bosch Global Software Technologies is an instrumental partner, enriching the essential foundation by securing the facility through setting up a CCTV surveillance network (2 areas under CCTV surveillance) and fencing enclosures (3000 square ft), an elephant weigh bridge with 10-tonne capacity to understand progress on health parameters, an off-grid solar-powered system to ensure energy self-sufficiency (Hybrid solar Inverter 5KW, 500L capacity solar water heater and 36W solar lights), two container cabins converted into a research and welfare hub to enable wildlife observation and studies, with residential capability, and a training and sensitization hub to promote awareness and capacity building of relevant stakeholders.
Jacob Peter, Executive Board, Senior VP, Mobility R&D, BGSW, said, “Bosch has been committed to the sustainable development of the environment including animal conservation efforts since 2016. Our Corporate Social Responsibility project has helped the Kolar elephant camp to take significant strides towards establishing a safe space for the rehabilitation of elephants in need. In this enriched ecosystem elephants can finally be free from pain, and suffering and can exercise a greater degree of autonomy in choosing their companions and activities, than they would otherwise.”
