Meera Bhardwaj:
A healthy tusker – Balanna, loses his right earlobe in a botched up medical treatment at Sakrebailu in Shivamogga. On Sunday (26.10.2025), a team of veterinary experts operated upon Balanna and amputated his right earlobe. Alas! What began as pain in the leg has ended up with amputation of an earlobe for this gentle giant.
A five-member expert veterinarian team from Bengaluru deemed – it was medically prudent to amputate the right earlobe of Balanna. The earlobe had been severely infected due to a botched up medical intervention by a junior veterinarian on September 21st.
The plight of 35-year-old tusker Balanna – a trained kumki is heart wrenching and reeks of wrong decisions and delayed action. Both the concerned forest officials and veterinarians are responsible for the present, pathetic condition of this camp elephant – housed in Sakrebailu Elephant Camp, Shivamogga district, Karnataka, India.
NEED FOR WILDLIFE VETS CADRE
It is high time, Karnataka Government set up a “SEPARATE WILDLIFE VETERINARY CADRE” for proper wildlife management and wildlife care and treatment and not just make do with ad hoc vets and hired vets from other institutions.
If Madhya Pradesh can create a separate wildlife veterinary cadre, why cannot Karnataka do which has the second highest population of tigers and the highest population of elephants in the country. “This is an utterly pathetic situation for a state that boasts of high conservation and protection standards for its wildlife. Karnataka has seen many botched up operations in human-wildlife conflict zones,” says a retired forest official.
ADVANCE TRAINING TO VETS
Further, Tamil Nadu is doing very well in wildlife management compared to Karnataka. Apart from this, there should be a continuous process of providing advance training to veterinarians in the state since medical care and treatment of wildlife is a specialized job. The vets need a lot of expertise to deal with elephants, leopards and tigers in a risky and conflict prone zones. In fact, vets have sustained injuries in conflict zones.
Presently, there are only five veterinarians in the state who are employed by the Karnataka Forest Department to look after and care for the staggering population of wildlife in five tiger reserves, five national parks and 21 sanctuaries, elephant reserves and elephant camps in the state.
RISING HUMAN-WILDLIFE CONFLICTS
Out of the five vets across 13 forest circles, only two are wildlife veterinarians. Are they sufficient to manage and deal with the rising incidents of human-wildlife conflicts and subsequent capture operations of conflict tigers, leopards and elephants in Karnataka? Most of them have to traverse different forest circles to deal with varied wildlife in highly volatile zones and work as per wildlife guidelines and protocol.
For the past decade, conservationists and activists are in fact, demanding a separate wildlife veterinary cadre to address the lack of specialized expertise and career paths for vets in the wildlife sector. Many forest officials and vets argue that the current system of deputation from state Animal Husbandry Departments results in insufficient training and continuity, potentially leading to inadequate and improper care for wildlife and many a time, disability and death of tigers and elephants.
BALANNA’S BOTCHED UP TREATMENT
This well-trained kumki elephant (such elephants are used in managing human-wildlife conflicts in India) was initially diagnosed with leg pain. Two veterinarians – one retired (Dr Kallappa) and another serving Dr Murali (from the Tyavarekoppa Tiger and Lion Safari Shivamogga) were called in for treating the elephant.
CHRONOLOGY OF TREATMENT
- On day 1 (18.9.2025), Dr Kallappa who looks after the health management of the Sakrebailu Camp elephants – administered him intramuscular injection for treating tusker’s leg pain.
- On day 2 & 3 (19/21.9.2025), Dr Murali was invited by the DCF, Shivamogga Wildlife Division to treat Balanna and the vet administered (for leg pain) intravenous injections of medicines to the auricular vein of the right ear for two days.
- It is shocking if one vet treated Balanna for leg pain, the other vet treated the ailing tusker for ear infection.
- Now why was Dr Kallappa ignored and another vet Dr Murali called in on the 2nd day?
- In fact, both the vets could have met and discussed the ‘line of treatment’ for the tusker.
- After three days, treatment was discontinued abruptly.
Later, Balanna was readied by his mahout to take part in the Shivamogga Dasara procession on October 2nd. Although Balanna was not only in physical but also clinical stress, now how could the concerned Ranger allow the tusker to be used in the strenuous Dasara procession?
Decrying the treatment of camp elephant, wildlife activists said, “The callousness of forest officials and the inexperienced vet have resulted in Balanna losing its right earlobe. Hope Balanna survives? This is indeed shocking and traumatic.”
START OF COMPLICATIONS
- Later, Balanna developed severe drug reaction at the posterior part of the right ear with painful swelling which progressively aggravated resulting in minimal ear flapping.
- After 6 days, Balanna was administered intramuscular injection antibiotic therapy by Dr Kallappa but with no result or relief.
- The elephant’s condition deteriorated – swelling, inflammation, skin discolouration, and accumulation of gangrenous fluid.
- Finally, gangrene set in – entire right ear of Balanna was completely affected.
- Realizing the severity of the tusker’s condition, veterinary experts from Bannerghatta National Park was called in.
- On October 12th, the team of vet experts examined the physical condition of Balanna.
- They performed a small incision to drain out the gangrenous fluid followed by dressing and application of ointments and medical care.
- Further, laser treatment was done followed by antibiotics for 10 days.
- Despite aggressive treatment, extensive necrosis led to detachment of the ear at its base.
- Unfortunately, the tusker underwent high distress for almost a month due to botched up treatment.
In the background of this Elephantine Veterinary Mess, it is time for action by the Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre and take remedial measures by setting up a separate wildlife veterinary cadre and appointment of permanent wildlife vets for the protected areas and elephant camps of Karnataka.
Bereft of the right earlobe, now how will Balanna lead a normal life is a million-dollar question? Considering the psychological and physiological impact of the loss of one ear, the tusker will need continuous monitoring and proper care in the days to come.