TEMERLOH: A female elephant calf is getting all the attention it needs at the National Elephant Conservation Centre in Kuala Gandah, Lanchang.
Meet Eli, the ‘princess’ of the centre, who was rescued after suffering injuries caused by wire snares trap installed by illegal poachers in Jeli, Kelantan, two years ago.
Her name, by the way, was derived from the place she was discovered.
The two-year-old calf, that had found shelter here since early last year, is coping well from the injuries that left her right front leg mutilated and is now one of the attractions at the centre.
Eli is a natural when it comes to interacting with people and seemed to enjoy the star treatment given by visitors.
Her caretaker, Mohamad Suri Aziz, 41, said it was initially difficult for the calf to warm up to the new surrounding and a prosthetic leg donated by Universiti Malaya (UM).
“She actually loves to be pampered and caressed. As Eli is still young, she would spend a lot of time playing and her favourite fruit is watermelon,” he told reporters when met at the centre today.
Mohamad Suri said the calf received much attention from over 2,000 visitors who were present in conjunction with the World Elephant Day celebrated yesterday.
He said Eli drank 20 litres of milk daily, prepared using enamel milk formula and red sugar.
“We also feed her with napier grass,” he said.
The conservation centre was opened in 1989 had so far provided shelter to 30 elephants.