ROYAL TRAVELS NEWS.

Elephant rides at Gudgudia eco-tourism site in Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) have few takers with tourists complaining of short distance ride. 
Moreover, kunki elephant Mahendra, who is a special attraction, is not being used for the rides at present. 

Elephant rides were introduced in 2013 to attract more tourists. But on several days in a month, not a single tourist seeks an elephant ride. Including Mahendra, four elephants have been engaged for the ride. According to forester Dhrubanath Naik, ever since the facility was introduced, a maximum footfall of 30 tourists in a day was recorded at the elephant ride centre, which is located between the forest rest house and the orchid conservation centre. "At first, tourists were excited about the elephant rides. But many tourists expressed dissatisfaction over the short duration of the rides. The elephant take the tourists up to 100 metres and return," said Naik. He said a tourist was charged Rs 50 for a single ride.

According to official sources, an elephant eats 12 kg of fodder which include banana, coconut and pulses. There is one mahout, who is paid Rs 5,000 a month, for the elephant rides.