Archive · 18 Aug 2025
Ghee Omitted from Dasara Elephants' Diet to Manage Weight
The elephants participating in the Mysuru Dasara festival are getting a new diet this year!
They used to get ghee, a kind of butter, but it made them gain too much weight.
So, the experts decided to take it off the menu.
Now, they'll get yummy things like watermelon, muskmelon, and finger millet, along with the usual food.
The people taking care of the elephants want to keep them healthy and happy for the big parade, and they are also getting massages.
Ghee has been removed from the diet of Dasara elephants due to weight gain concerns.
A committee of wildlife veterinarians identified ghee as the cause of excessive weight gain in elephants.
Watermelon, muskmelon, horse gram, and finger millet are added to the elephants' diet this year.
The decision to remove ghee followed observations of weight gain in the previous Dasara festivities.
Head and foot massages for elephants will continue, and their health is reported as excellent.
- Who
- Dasara elephants, forest officials, and wildlife veterinarians.
- What
- Changes to the diet of Dasara elephants, removing ghee and adding new items like watermelon and muskmelon.
- When
- The changes were implemented this year.
- Where
- Mysuru, India, during the Dasara festivities.
- Why
- To manage the elephants' weight and ensure their health during the festival.
- Event
- Mysuru Dasara
- Elephants
- Trained Elephants
- Location
- Mysuru, India
- Ghee
- Removed from diet
- New Diet Items
- Watermelon, muskmelon, horse gram, finger millet
- Reason for Change
- Weight gain concern
