(IN) Using elephants in sports

[Guest guest]

http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEK20071008021740 & Page=K & Headline=El\

ephants+display+their+sports+talent & Title=Southern+News+-+Karnataka & Topic=0

*

 

*http://68.178.224.54/udayavani/showstory.asp?news=0 & contentid=458651 & lang=1

*

 

*KARNATAKA*

 

*Oct 13, 2007*

*Elephants display their sports talent*

Monday October 8 2007 12:39 IST

 

*EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE*

 

Elephants participate in the banana eating competition as part of Elephant

Day celebrations at Gajanur in Shimoga on Sunday.

 

SHIMOGA: They ran, competed and they won. Elephants won the hearts of large

audience and also received huge applause.

 

The elephant show that included several games and parade was organised at

Jawahar Navoday Vidyalay ground in Gajanur near here on Sunday, as a part of

the Wildlife Week.

 

Fourteen elephants of various age groups, from two to 75 years participated

in various events including running race, eating banana and sugarcane,

football, catwalk, commanding and even Kunta Bille.

 

Three-year-old Prakruti offered a great pleasure with its active

participation and obedience to the command. Netravati (9) won the general

championship, while Prakruti (3) and Sagar (15) bagged second and third

positions respectively. Shiva (71), Indri (74), Gange (52), Mayura (22),

Kapila (58), Amruta (2), Shivagange (5), Cauvery (70), Geeta (56) and Kunti

(72) were the other elephants that took part in the show.

 

For the second consecutive year, the Forest Department's wildlife division

is celebrating October 7 as 'Elephant Day' as a part of the Wildlife Week

from October 1 to 7, as per the instructions of the Central Ministry of

Forest and Environment.

 

The day was celebrated at Sakkrebailu Elephant Camp last year and to

accommodate more people, the event was shifted to Navoday Vidyalay ground

this time.

 

People from distant places attended the show, which was a feast especially

for children.

 

Principal and sessions judge I K Antin, conservator of forest Sanjay Mohan,

DFOs Brijesh Kumar, Jayaramaiah, Navoday Vidyalay principal Ravi, GP

president B Sharifa and Government Employees' Association district president

Raghuram Devadig were present.