The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Jumbo acrobatics at Rajaji
Sandeep Rawat
Tribune News Service

Haridwar, March 9
The behaviour of elephants is a subject of great interest. It leads to understanding of the nature of elephants that helps in their management and conservation. The Asian elephant (elephas maximus), particularly domesticated one in circuses and zoos, provides recreation to people.

However, the behaviour of the wild Asian elephant is difficult to observe. Although several studies on the behaviour of the African elephant (loxodonta africana) have been conducted, few have been on the behaviour of the wild Asian elephant.

A recent study on the wild Asian elephant in the sub-tropical moist deciduous forests of India depicts unusual behaviour in varied forms.

The observations made in the Rajaji NationalPark (RNP), in the Shivalik foothills (lesser

Himalayan zone), one of the world’s most spectacular landscapes, encompassing tall grasslands and sal forests, are an eye-opener. The area has extensive stands of shorea robusta (sal), mallotus phillipinensis (rohini), acacia catechu (khair), adina cordifolia (haldu), terminalia bellirica (bahera), ficus bengalensis (bar) and dalbergia sissoo (shisham).

These elephants are natural acrobats.

This is the most important feature observed in them at the Rajaji National Park. Elephants running, bending, raising their hind legs into the air and standing on one leg speaks of the acrobatic abilities of the elephants.

Forest scientists Dr Ritesh Joshi and Dr Rambir Singh, recalling their experience, informed: “Inside the forest, we came across a group of elephants consisting of several adult females, sub-adults and juveniles and one adult male elephant.

“The adult male was following the group a few metres away. The adult male elephant saw us and started running towards us but then suddenly stopped. The elephant then touched the ground with its trunk and bent forwards. Next it raised one of its hind legs into the air followed by the other hind leg and then the right front leg.

“At one point his three legs were in the air and the elephant was standing on its trunk. He held this position for about a minute. Then he resumed normal position and went back to rejoin his group.”

The study found that very often elephants move over steep hills, through narrow passages and across steep slopes in situations even difficult for a human to traverse.

This aspect of the animal is surprising as despite its size it fan climb mountains too.

Dr Joshi said at one spot in the Mundal forest belt in the Chilla forest range, “we found footprints and feeding signs of elephants in a very narrow passage at a height

of about 30ft and we got to know of the reason too. There was a climber - bauhinia vahlii (maljhan) at that spot, a favourite food item with, elephants and the elephant had mounted up to that height just tofeed on this fodder species.”

The other movement observed in the study relates to soundless movement in the forest.

During the autumn, a heavy bed of fallen leaves can be seen all around the Rajaji Park area.

The sound emanating when smaller wild animals and human beings when moving on is distinctly audible.

“But what was astonishing was that when elephants walk through these areas with dry leaves spread all over there is no sound at all.

“It is amazing that an animal with a huge body mass and heavy legs does not make any sound while walking even through the carpet of leaves.

It is now understood how those venturing into forests for fire wood and fodder are ambushed and killed.

“The wounded victims have maintained all along that they didn’t hear any sound of movement before being attacked by the elephants,” Dr Joshi said.

Another aspect brought into light is the variation in feeding behaviour among the species. Since 2002 elephants are being seen eating haplophragma adenophylla (kut sagaun) and tectona grandis (sagaun,) from December to June.

Only the bark is eaten by the elephants and they may spend a whole day feeding on it. Consequently, the elephant-induced damage to these species is extensive.

A major revelation which is contrary to common perception is the bull elephant prefers to live a solitary life after attaining the age of 16.

But it has been observed that the male adult bull elephants live together and move in and out the protected area in herds.

Also, they are seen moving, playing and resting together

and form a close association the year round.

Many forest guards point that they have often sighted an adult bull elephant (aged 50) leading the group.

The Rajaji National Park which spreads across Haridwar, Dehradun and Pauri districts, is designated as a reserved area for “Project Elephant” by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India.

The park has more than 400 elephants.

Need to kickstart Doon soccer
Vishal Thakur
Tribune News Service

Potala XI and DMK players in action at the 17th Narayan Gurung (ZICS) Memorial Football Tournament played at Mahendra Ground, Dehradun. A file photograph

In the 1960s, Dehradun had carved out a name for itself in national football and by 1970s, it had over 25 clubs. But gradually popular tournament s went into oblivion and local football clubs ceased to exist

Dehradun, March 9
Dehradun, which once saw famous football tournaments and numerous clubs, is just left with three major tournaments and a few clubs.

In the 1960s, Dehradun had carved out a name for itself in the national football arena and by 1970s, it had over 25 clubs and most of them had their own club tournaments.

The famous tournaments that are still part of conversations in the football circuit are Sehgal Memorial Football Tournament, Roop Ram Gurung Memorial Tournament, Rakesh Challenge Tournament, RB Singh Memorial Tournament and Gaura Devi Tournament.

Without sponsorship, it is always difficult to sustain good tournament and clubs...The game still exist only because it has the strong support of the Gorkha community living here. — Govind Thapa, referee

As time passed, these popular tournament went into oblivion and local football clubs ceased to exist. Football lovers and some popular domestic clubs of Dehradun had started these famous tournaments. But with the winding-up of the clubs, most of these tournaments stopped.

The Jubilant Jyoti club here, which had won the famous Birthday Cup Football Tournament held in Kathmandu in 1976, and other clubs like Gypsy, National Sporting, Uttarakhand, Eastern Doon, Himantika, Western Boys, Chand Club are all gone.Today only three major tournaments continue to be organised.

The first is the Narain Gurung Memorial Tournament that was initiated by players Ratan Thapa, JB Thapa and GS Thapa and is supported by the Vijay Cantt Football Club.

Vijay Cantt club also organises the Shahid Gautam Gurung Memorial Football Tournament.

Two years ago, due to the combined efforts of some die-hard football fans from Nehru Gram, the Shahid Kharag Bahadur Football Tournament was revived. In their golden days, these tournaments used to witness a huge crowd. “The stadium used to be jam-packed. The craze was such that one could see persons on top of trees watching the match in the scorching sun,” said CP

Thapa, a renowned international player from the city.“But today, that kind of football craze has died. The game still exist only because it has the strong support of the Gorkha community living here.

Many clubs have closed down and many have come up but the golden days will never come back,” he added.JM Sahi, another old-time footballer and a key person behind reviving the Shahid Kharag Bahadur Tournament said:

“It is sad to see famous tournaments and clubs disappear from Doon, which was once a major centre of the sport in India.” Well-known referee Govind Thapa attributed the decline to

financial constrains.

“Without sponsorship, it is always difficult to sustain good tournament and clubs,” he added.

City signs up for Earth Hour
Jotirmay Thapliyal
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, March 9
Dehradun will join Delhi and Mumbai in the WWF-India Earth Hour global campaign aimed at sensitising people about climate change. The campaign (Earth Hour) is a “lights out” initiative and is an appeal to the residents of Dehradun to keep their lights off from 8.30 pm to 9.30 pm on March 28.

Over 377 cities across 74 countries have committed to turning off their lights for one hour on March 28

Jitendra Singh Rawat, education officer, WWF Dehradun Field Office, who has been heading preparations for the campaign here said that schools here have already given their consent to join the campaign.

“We have met the head of various boarding schools and they too have pledged to keep their lights off,” Rawat added.

Various Central government offices institutions like the Forest Research Institute and Wildlife Institute and business houses have also been approached by the WWF soliciting their support.

The “lights out” initiative, which began in Sydney in 2007 as a one-city environmental campaign, has evolved into a grassroots action that has captured the attention of citizens around the world. In 2008, 371 cities across 35 countries had turned their lights off.

Now, with almost few weeks still remaining before Earth Hour 2009, that number has already been eclipsed. Over 377 cities, including Delhi and Mumbai, across 74 countries have now committed to turning off their lights on March 28.

Welcoming the initiative, climate change scientist Dr VRS Rawat said global warming is a huge threat and asserted that people need to be made aware of it.