Pigs Trouble Elephants At Hathi Gaon, Mahouts Fear Impact On Rajasthan Tourism
A unique problem has struck the elephants of Amer Fort, which could hamper their ability to cater to tourists.?
Strange as it sounds, pigs are the problem!?
Squealing pigs in Hathi gaon have been messing with the sleep schedules of the jumbos, and mahouts and tourist operators fear this will impact their livelihood.?
A plenty big pig problem at Hathi Gaon?
Hathi gaon has a problem of plenty - plenty pigs, that is.
Hathi gaon is a natural park-like shelter spread over 88 acres and run by the forest department which is home to over 80 elephants along with their mahouts (caretakers).?
However, the boundary wall has gaps at different locations, providing easy access for the pigs.?
Further, the area is littered with elephant dung which has not been cleaned for much of last year. This also attracts the pigs.?
But, where are the pigs being bred??
Apparently, the pigs are reared by some people who live outside the elephant village.?
Pigs give birth twice annually, yielding 8-12 piglets in each litter, and they commence breeding as early as 8-9 months old. Stray pigs are also widespread in the area.?
Pitiable condition of elephants at Hathi Gaon?
"While elephants are showcased as regal symbols, they live in a pitiable state in Hathi Gaon. Senior officials and ministers should intervene as it affects tourism," Fahreen Khan, a mahout said, as quoted by TOI.?
The mahouts worry that the squealing pigs will disturb the sleep pattern of elephants and lead to behavioral changes, which in turn could lead to issues with tourists.?
"Sleep is crucial for elephants. For several decades, thousands of tourists have visited Amer Fort to see the elephants, a source of pride for Rajasthan. Any untoward incident due to changes in the animals¡¯ behaviour could damage the region¡¯s image. The issue has been brought to the attention of the forest department but no action has been taken so far," TOI quoted Ballu Khan, president of the Hathi Gaon Vikas Samiti as saying.? ??
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