Kuruba

Definition of Kuruba

From the elephant glossary Section: anthrozoology

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The Kuruba or Jeenu Kuruba is an ethnic Group from Southern India. Among the Mahouts in S. India, 98.45% belonged to the Jenu Kuruba community in 2014. The tribal population, especially the Jenu Kurubas, is decreasing. According to a 1991 census, their population was just 43,000.

In Kannada, Jenu means honey and Kuruba is a caste. The name suggests that they are honey gatherers. However, of late, the community members claim that beehives are facing a threat from mites. Hence they also practice agriculture as a subsidiary occupation to eke out a living in the woods.

Records about Kuruba from the Gone Astray: Elephant care manual for Mahouts and camp managers (Thailand)

Krishnamurthy and Wemmer conclude that, “It is unlikely that a uniform elephant husbandry was practiced by the diverse Groups that came to be employed by the forest departments.” In south India many Mahouts are tribals. In Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka, there are Jainu Kurubas and Betta or Hill Kurubas.

Elephant care manual for Mahouts and camp managers, Preecha Phuangkum, Richard C. Lair and Taweepoke Angkawanith

Reference list Koehl, Dan, (2025). Kuruba. Elephant Encyclopedia, available online retrieved 20 September 2021 at https://www.elephant.se/index.php?id=233. (archived at the Wayback machine)

Sources used for this article is among others:

*FAOGONE at https://www.fao.org/3/ac774e/ac774e0a.htm
Nishant M. Srinivasaiah, Surendra Varma, Raman Sukumar; Documenting Indigenous Traditional Knowledge of the Asian Elephant in Captivity, at http://www.asiannature.org/sites/default/files/Elephants%20and%20Mahouts-%20Final%20Report%205March14.pdf
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mysuru/delighted-to-be-in-the-woods/articleshow/5004083.cms?from=mdr
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mysuru/dodda-masthi-was-a-role-model-for-tribals/articleshow/54285215.cms

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Categories glossary | anthrozoology

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