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Oldest elephant on earth: 24-10-2007

Those who enjoy both ancient relics and animals would find both predilections satisfied in one at India's Panna Tiger Reserve, where handlers claim the oldest elephant in the world lives.

Her carers maintain that Vatsala is 92-years-old, more senior than the 86-year-old tusker from Thailand who currently holds the Guinness world record for the oldest elephant alive on the planet.

Vatsala was born in forests of Kerala, where she laboured for the Neelambur forest division, moving logs. When she arrived at the Hoshangabad sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh in 1971, she had already lost her teeth, which would make her at least 50. She was then moved to the Chhatarpur reserve forest in 1993, where people have come from all corners of the globe to visit her.

After 2003, Vatsala was retired from all tasks and now spends her days being cared for and grazing on grass, bamboo, porridge and sugar cane juice. Most elephants aged 60 are certain to deteriorate within the following ten years as they can not feed properly, but her carers make sure all of the elderly elephant's food is cut up small enough for her to easily eat.

"She is just like a pensioner," Sanjeev Gupta of the Panna Tiger Reserve said in Metro. "She is kind with the calves but is the first to give them a ticking off when they over-step the mark."

Mr Gupta added: "Vatsala is given extra respect. She always gets her own way."

Vatsala is examined by vets three times a week and her carers say she acts with great affection towards them.

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