Guwahati: India’s oldest elephant died on Monday at the age of 89 in Assam’s Sonitpur district.
The domestic Asiatic jumbo, named Bijuli Prasad, passed away at the Behali Tea Estate of Williamson Magor Group early this morning due to age-related issues.
Wild Asiatic elephants have a life span of 62-65 years, while domestic tuskers survive around 80 years with proper care, PTI quoted Padma Shri awardee and renowned elephant surgeon Dr Kushal Konwar Sarma as saying.
Bijuli Prasad was brought as a calf to Borgang Tea Estate before being acquired by Behali.
Scores of people who have been associated with Bijuli Prasad like animal lovers, tea garden workers and locals gathered to mourn the death of the pachyderm.
“Bijuli Prasad was a symbol of pride for the Williamson Magor Group. It was first brought to the Bargang tea estate as a calf, and later shifted here after the Bargang tea estate was sold off by the company,” an official of the tea garden said.
“As far as my knowledge goes, Bijuli Prasad was the oldest recorded domestic elephant in India,” said Dr Konwar Sarma.
He treated Bijuli Prasad a few years ago.
“After all its teeth fell off around 8-10 years ago, Bijuli Prasad could not eat anything and was about to die. Then I went there and treated him. I had changed all his regular food and started mostly boiled food like rice and soybean with high protein value. This increased his longevity,” Dr Konwar Sarma said.
