At 86 years old, Dakshayani is waiting to be registered in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s oldest Asian elephant in captivity.
The pachyderm lives in Chengannur Mahadeva Temple, located in the southern Indian state of Kerala, reports The Indian Express.
The publication highlights the efforts made by the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), an organization that controls the Hindu sanctuaries, in order to achieve recognition for Dakshayani, an elephant that yesterday was conferred with the title of “Gajamuthassi” or great granny.
TDB’s President, Prayar Gopalakrishnan, said that the institution contacted Guinness officials to include the new record.
It is estimated that India is home to 23,000 elephants in the wild and over 10,000 domesticated, a figure representing more than half of the world’s Asian species.
Source: Prensa Latina
