Feb. 23: Veterinarians from all over the region have converged on the city to deliberate on new trends in “Health Care and Management of Asian Elephants”.

The refreshers’ course, currently under way at the College of Veterinary Sciences in the city, is being sponsored by Project Elephant, under the ministry of environment and forests.

Two experts from the US — Denis Schmidt and Heidi Riddle of Missouri University and the Elephant Foundation — will speak on ultrasound techniques to manage elephants and also conduct practical classes at the Assam State Zoo on the same topic.

The chief guest in today’s programme was J.M. Bujarbaruah, retired director of the Assam husbandry and veterinary department.

Bujarbaruah in his speech highlighted the achievements of modern day veterinarians in managing wildlife. M.C. Malakar, chief wildlife warden of Assam, expressed happiness over the co-ordination between the forest department and College of Veterinary Sciences. The course will conclude on February 29.

Veterinarians will be given information on purchase of elephants for government departments and relevant schemes in the course.

Divisional forest officer of Assam State Zoo . Mahanta spoke on engaging elephants in special jobs like riding, patrolling, timber hauling etc.

Dean of College of Veterinary Sciences Dharmeswar Das spoke on income generation and poverty alleviation through improved veterinary and animal husbandry practices around the protected areas and reduce grazing pressure on forest and fodder cultivation. Experts on animal nutrition will deliberate on nutritional requirements, fodder and feeding schedules for elephants for different age groups and different jobs.

Practical classes will be held on identifying elephants from their external features, growth and age and faecal sample analysis by surgery experts during the course.

Control of problematic elephants and management of elephants in musth will also be discussed. Practices on welfare and prevention of cruelty and legal provisions relevant to elephants will also be deliberated.

Forest minister Pradyut Bordoloi had recently cautioned that much work remained to be done in the realm of man-elephant conflict.