Kallana
Encyclopedia
Kallana is the Malayalam language
name of a suspected species of dwarf elephant
s allegedly found in South India
. Kaani
tribals dwelling in the rainforest
s of the Western Ghats
(Kerala
, India
) claim that there are two distinct varieties of elephant
s in the Peppara
forest range, one the common Indian elephants (Elephas maximus indicus), and the other a dwarf variety
which they call Kallana. The name Kallana comes from the words "Kallu", which means stones or boulders, and "aana", which means elephant. The tribals gave the creatures this name because they see the smaller elephant more often in the higher altitudes where the terrain is rocky. Some tribals also call the delicate creatures Thumbiana (thumbi means dragonfly
) for the speed with which the pachyderms run through trees and rocks when disturbed.
leaves, tuber
s and the bark
s of smaller trees. Like all elephants, they enjoy bathing
in rivers and they too have dust baths. Unlike larger elephants, however, they seem able to negotiate steep, rocky inclines.
For the past fifteen years the forest officials and inhabitants of the Agasthyakoodam region have always heard Kani tribals talking about Kallanas, but there were never any confirmed sightings. Recently Sali Palode, a Kerala-based wildlife photographer, and Mallan Kani, a member of Kerala’s Kani tribe, who were in search of this elusive elephant were able to photograph one such dwarf elephant, and even claim to have seen a herd. On 17 March 2010, the same Mallan Kani guided the photographer Ajanta Benny to a Kallana and he took pictures. This was reported in the Malayalam daily Malayala Manorama
with a picture (The report and picture can be seen at http://sightindia.com/en/index.php?page=newsDetail&id=8823). But one needs to be captured and tested to see whether it is a separate species. In any case, the effort of Sali Palode and the Mallan Kani will herald a new vigour to ascertain the truth, by detailed research. The Kerala Forest Department has recently deputed search teams to the forests of Agasthyavanam, Neyyar and the Peppara
Wildlife Sanctuaries to search for the pygmy elephants.
Malayalam language
Malayalam , is one of the four major Dravidian languages of southern India. It is one of the 22 scheduled languages of India with official language status in the state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry. It is spoken by 35.9 million people...
name of a suspected species of dwarf elephant
Elephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
s allegedly found in South India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Kaani
Kääni
Kääni is a village in Nõo Parish, Tartu County in eastern Estonia....
tribals dwelling in the rainforest
Rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
s of the Western Ghats
Western Ghats
The Western Ghats, Western Ghauts or the Sahyādri is a mountain range along the western side of India. It runs north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghats block rainfall to the Deccan...
(Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
) claim that there are two distinct varieties of elephant
Elephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
s in the Peppara
Peppara
The Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary constitutes the catchments of the Peppara Dam on the Karamana River near Thiruvananthapuram, India.The Peppara Dam was commissioned in 1983 to augment the drinking water supply to Thiruvananthapuram city and suburban areas. Considering the ecological significance of...
forest range, one the common Indian elephants (Elephas maximus indicus), and the other a dwarf variety
Pygmy Elephant
So-called pygmy elephants are reported to be living in both Africa and Asia. The African pygmy elephant, formerly described as "Loxodonta pumilio", is currently considered to be a tiny morph of the African Forest Elephant So-called pygmy elephants are reported to be living in both Africa and Asia....
which they call Kallana. The name Kallana comes from the words "Kallu", which means stones or boulders, and "aana", which means elephant. The tribals gave the creatures this name because they see the smaller elephant more often in the higher altitudes where the terrain is rocky. Some tribals also call the delicate creatures Thumbiana (thumbi means dragonfly
Dragonfly
A dragonfly is a winged insect belonging to the order Odonata, the suborder Epiprocta or, in the strict sense, the infraorder Anisoptera . It is characterized by large multifaceted eyes, two pairs of strong transparent wings, and an elongated body...
) for the speed with which the pachyderms run through trees and rocks when disturbed.
Behaviour and diet
According to the Kani tribals, the pygmy elephants feed on grass, bambooBamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
leaves, tuber
Tuber
Tubers are various types of modified plant structures that are enlarged to store nutrients. They are used by plants to survive the winter or dry months and provide energy and nutrients for regrowth during the next growing season and they are a means of asexual reproduction...
s and the bark
Bark
Bark is the outermost layers of stems and roots of woody plants. Plants with bark include trees, woody vines and shrubs. Bark refers to all the tissues outside of the vascular cambium and is a nontechnical term. It overlays the wood and consists of the inner bark and the outer bark. The inner...
s of smaller trees. Like all elephants, they enjoy bathing
Bathing
Bathing is the washing or cleansing of the body in a fluid, usually water or an aqueous solution. It may be practised for personal hygiene, religious ritual or therapeutic purposes or as a recreational activity....
in rivers and they too have dust baths. Unlike larger elephants, however, they seem able to negotiate steep, rocky inclines.
Sightings and claims of existence as a distinct species
The existence of a pygmy variety of elephant in India is yet to be scientifically ascertained. If the claims of Kani tribals are believed there are ample reasons to believe that the "Kallana" they describe is a different (namely pygmy) variety of elephant since it is claimed to grow to a maximum height of 5 feet (1.5 metres), and they do not mix with the more common Indian elephants, even taking pains to avoid them. In all other respects, they look like Indian elephants.For the past fifteen years the forest officials and inhabitants of the Agasthyakoodam region have always heard Kani tribals talking about Kallanas, but there were never any confirmed sightings. Recently Sali Palode, a Kerala-based wildlife photographer, and Mallan Kani, a member of Kerala’s Kani tribe, who were in search of this elusive elephant were able to photograph one such dwarf elephant, and even claim to have seen a herd. On 17 March 2010, the same Mallan Kani guided the photographer Ajanta Benny to a Kallana and he took pictures. This was reported in the Malayalam daily Malayala Manorama
Malayala Manorama
Malayala Manorama is a daily news paper, in Malayalam language, published in the state of Kerala, India. It was first published as a weekly on 14 March 1890, and currently has a readership of over 16 million . The Malayalam word "manorama" roughly translates to "entertainer"...
with a picture (The report and picture can be seen at http://sightindia.com/en/index.php?page=newsDetail&id=8823). But one needs to be captured and tested to see whether it is a separate species. In any case, the effort of Sali Palode and the Mallan Kani will herald a new vigour to ascertain the truth, by detailed research. The Kerala Forest Department has recently deputed search teams to the forests of Agasthyavanam, Neyyar and the Peppara
Peppara
The Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary constitutes the catchments of the Peppara Dam on the Karamana River near Thiruvananthapuram, India.The Peppara Dam was commissioned in 1983 to augment the drinking water supply to Thiruvananthapuram city and suburban areas. Considering the ecological significance of...
Wildlife Sanctuaries to search for the pygmy elephants.