Mysuru:  Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy released the Special Cover brought out by the Karnataka Forest Department and the Department of Posts, India on the occasion of World Elephant Day at Mysore Airport in Mandakalli here before leaving to Hubballi in a special flight this morning.

Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Jayaram, speaking to the media, said that the Forest Department to mark World Tiger Day had brought out a Special Cover last year and this year to spread the awareness on elephant conservation, the Department has brought out the Special Cover which also marks World Elephant Day.

Continuing, he said that the paper, made from the fibre contents found in the elephant dung, was procured from Kerala and only 5,000 Special Covers have been printed. He further said that each cover costs Rs.88 to manufacture which would be sold at Rs.25 per cover and added that the Special Cover is only a collector’s postal cover.

Jayaram said that a company has come forward to manufacture paper from elephant dung and we have given them to collect the dung from Dubare Elephant Camp. There are 35 Asiatic Elephants in Dubare Elephant Camp which produces huge amount of dung, he said and added that as these elephants wander in the forest for grazing, we cannot collect all the dug these elephants produce but we are able to collect the dung only in the elephant camp. If there is a demand for more elephant dung in future, we would try to procure the dung from other elephant camps, he said and added that Karnataka stands in the first place in elephant population in the country followed by Tamil Nadu and Kerala States.

Sandesh Mahadevappa, Senior Superintendent of Posts, Bengaluru, who also spoke, said that only 5,000 Special Covers have been printed which will be available at all main Post Offices across the country from tomorrow.

The front side of the Special Cover has the image of an elephant, 2018 World Elephant Day printed in Kannada, Hindi and English and bears the seal and stamps. The backside of the cover has the information “Elephant (Elephas maximus) is being revered in India since ages. Karnataka State has the highest population of Asian Elephant in India. This special cover is being released by the Karnataka Forest Department on 12th August, 2018, to commemorate the ‘World Elephant Day’,” printed in Kannada, Hindi and English.

Tourism Minister S.R. Mahesh, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) Punnatti Sridhar, Zoo Authority of Karnataka (ZAK) Member-Secretary B.P. Ravi, Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) Hanumanthappa, DCF (Wildlife) Sidramappa Chalkapure, RFOs M.K. Devaraj and Ananyakumar, Mysuru Zoo Executive Director Ajith Kulkarni, Senior Superintendent of Posts, Mysuru, N. Prakash and others were present.