CHANCHAL GOLA / Ramnagar
A rare tusker with striking red-coloured ears has become the cynosure among tourists and wildlife enthusiasts in Corbett Tiger Reserve. Owing to its unusual appearance, the giant elephant stands out among the park’s rich wildlife, say the foresters.
The visitors say that the rare red-eared tusker has now become one of Corbett’s most talked-about wildlife attractions. “All are eager to catch a glimpse of this extraordinary giant,” says a visitor.
The rare tusker was first spotted on June 11 in the grasslands of Dhikala. It later travelled nearly 25 kms and was seen in the Jhirna Range on June 13. Its movement across different parts of the reserve has generated considerable excitement among visitors and photographers.
A wildlife photographer, Shaurya Bisht said he had photographed the elephant near Dhikala grasslands on June 11. “I never saw an elephant with such distinctly red ears before,” he said.
Another wildlife photographer, Deep Rajwar reported sighting the tusker in Jhirna zone on June 13. “The elephant is estimated to be between 45 and 50 years in age,” he noted.
According to the wildlife experts, the current time marks the breeding season for the elephants. “During this period, adult tuskers often leave their herds and travel long distances in search of female elephants. Their highly developed sense of smell allows them to detect herds from several kms away. This could explain the tusker’s journey from Dhikala to Jhirna,” commented an expert.
Notably, Corbett is home to approximately 1,250 elephants, yet sightings of red-eared elephants are extremely uncommon, said the warden of the park Binder Pal Singh. “Elephants with red ears are rarely seen in the reserve, so this is a special event for visitors, wildlife experts and foresters,” he added.
The Forest department records indicate that a similar red-eared elephant was spotted in the Dhikala area about a decade ago. That elephant, however, died due to electrocution in 2017, saddening the wildlife lovers. “The appearance of another red-eared tusker after several years has revived both excitement and memories of the earlier elephant,” added the warden, CTR.
Experts explain that the reddish appearance of the ears is a natural characteristic. In such elephants, the skin on the ears is relatively thin, making blood vessels more visible and giving the ears a red hue.
