Over 50% of tamed elephants prone to TB, filaria and eye infections – Prof Dangolla

Peradeniya University’s Veterinary Medicine Faculty Senior Professor Dr. Ashoka Dangolla said that diseases caused by a parasite as well as tuberculosis  and eye diseases are frequent in tamed elephants.

The professor said that the elephants will be tested for tuberculosis and among the existing tamed elephants; about 50 percent have eye diseases.He also said there is a risk of Filaria (Lymphatic filariasis, commonly known as elephantiasis) and several other diseases also spreading among tamed elephants in the country.

Dr.Dangolla noted the above while speaking to the media after a special veterinary clinic to check the health of the elephants participating in this year’s Esala Perahara Festival in Kandy.

He said that he had diagnosed a parasite in the blood of an elephant about 10 years ago and that the same disease had been diagnosed by another doctor, so investigations would be conducted in that regard as well.He also said that because most of the tamed elephants are old, they are at risk of falling ill very quickly.

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