A lone tusker locally known as ‘Vettaiyan’ entered Nanjundapuram near Thadagam for the second time, leaving residents alarmed before forest personnel drove it back into the forest. The incident comes amid growing concern over elephant movement into farmlands and residential areas in Coimbatore district.
For the second time in a row, the movement of a lone tusker into Nanjundapuram near Thadagam has left residents alarmed after the wild elephant, referred to locally as ‘Vettaiyan’, entered the residential area in search of food during the early hours of Friday before being driven back into the forest by forest department personnel.
In the latest incident, the lone elephant, known as ‘Vettaiyan’ among local residents, entered the Nanjundapuram area at around 1 am. Its presence in the residential area was first noticed after stray dogs began barking continuously, waking residents who were asleep inside their houses.
Alarmed residents immediately alerted Periyanaickenpalayam and Coimbatore forest department personnel. Officials rushed to the spot and, after efforts using loudspeakers and crackers, drove the elephant back into the forest.
Similar tense moments prevailed at Kathirnaickenpalayam near Thudiyalur in Coimbatore on Tuesday night after a lone wild elephant entered a residential area, damaged tin sheds where construction workers were staying and destroyed crops before being driven back into the forest following a two-hour operation.
The continued movement of wild elephants into human habitations has caused concern among residents and farmers living along farmlands near forest areas in Coimbatore district. They believe that reduced rainfall, scorching heat in the district and little rain in parts of the Western Ghats may have resulted in a shortage of fodder and water in forest areas, forcing more elephants to venture into farmlands and residential settlements.
The recent incidents have heightened fears among residents and farmers, particularly as they worry that the tuskers may begin routinely visiting their farmlands and damaging fruit-bearing trees and banana plantations amid the record-breaking heat this September. They have urged the forest department to intensify preventive measures and drive the elephants deeper into the forest.
In the latest incident, the lone elephant, known as ‘Vettaiyan’ among local residents, entered the Nanjundapuram area at around 1 am. Its presence in the residential area was first noticed after stray dogs began barking continuously, waking residents who were asleep inside their houses.
Alarmed residents immediately alerted Periyanaickenpalayam and Coimbatore forest department personnel. Officials rushed to the spot and, after efforts using loudspeakers and crackers, drove the elephant back into the forest.
Similar tense moments prevailed at Kathirnaickenpalayam near Thudiyalur in Coimbatore on Tuesday night after a lone wild elephant entered a residential area, damaged tin sheds where construction workers were staying and destroyed crops before being driven back into the forest following a two-hour operation.
The continued movement of wild elephants into human habitations has caused concern among residents and farmers living along farmlands near forest areas in Coimbatore district. They believe that reduced rainfall, scorching heat in the district and little rain in parts of the Western Ghats may have resulted in a shortage of fodder and water in forest areas, forcing more elephants to venture into farmlands and residential settlements.
The recent incidents have heightened fears among residents and farmers, particularly as they worry that the tuskers may begin routinely visiting their farmlands and damaging fruit-bearing trees and banana plantations amid the record-breaking heat this September. They have urged the forest department to intensify preventive measures and drive the elephants deeper into the forest.