Coimbatore : The drama around the Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC) in the Thadagam region is in for a climax as forest officials are going to attempt capturing one of the problem male elephants tomorrow.
Coimbatore : The drama around the Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC) in the Thadagam region is in for a climax as forest officials are going to attempt capturing one of the problem male elephants tomorrow.
Chinnathambi, the smaller of the two problem elephants is being monitored and would be soon be singled out from the forest and tranquilised early morning based on the ground conditions.
The elephant is currently roaming around Palamalai area in the Periyanaickenpalayam Forest Range and is being followed by foresters and veterinary officers. Once situations are friendly, officials would dart the tranquilizer on the pachyderm and load him into a truck with the help of Kumkis. Later, it would either be trans located or trained as a Kumki.
Four Kumkis are also stationed in the area and their help would be sought out for moving the tranquilised animal.
Suitable landscape would be a challenge as the animal could run wild for a while after being darted.
The operation comes a day after 500 farmers from the Tamil Nadu Non-Political, Non-Religious, Non-Casteist Farmers Association of Tamil Nadu met Ravi Kant Upadhyay, The Chief Wildlife Warden and Principal Chief Conservator of Forests of Tamil Nadu in person and stressed for the capture of the elephants. The farmers went from Coimbatore in 13 buses.
They handed over a petition to the PCCF in this regard.
“We have tried reasoning with the local officials to try and manage the Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC) in the region. But the elephants continue to raid our crops and no concrete actions have been taken by division officials,” said a member.
The orders to capture both the animals reached the office of the Chief Conservator of Forests of Coimbatore Circle a few days before District Collector wrote to the Chief Wildlife Warden regarding the issue. The Collector had requested the capture and translocation of both the elephants from Thadagam to Mudumalai Tiger Reserve.
He also wrote to the Shambhu Kallolikar, Secretary to the State Government from the department of Forest and Climate Change last week emphasizing on the same request.
Officials on the other hand had been approaching the issue carefully considering the risks involved. They have been using Kumki elephants and field staff to guide the elephants to other areas.
Chinnathambi, the smaller of the two problem elephants is being monitored and would be soon be singled out from the forest and tranquilised early morning based on the ground conditions.
The elephant is currently roaming around Palamalai area in the Periyanaickenpalayam Forest Range and is being followed by foresters and veterinary officers. Once situations are friendly, officials would dart the tranquilizer on the pachyderm and load him into a truck with the help of Kumkis. Later, it would either be trans located or trained as a Kumki.
Four Kumkis are also stationed in the area and their help would be sought out for moving the tranquilised animal.
Suitable landscape would be a challenge as the animal could run wild for a while after being darted.
The operation comes a day after 500 farmers from the Tamil Nadu Non-Political, Non-Religious, Non-Casteist Farmers Association of Tamil Nadu met Ravi Kant Upadhyay, The Chief Wildlife Warden and Principal Chief Conservator of Forests of Tamil Nadu in person and stressed for the capture of the elephants. The farmers went from Coimbatore in 13 buses.
They handed over a petition to the PCCF in this regard.
“We have tried reasoning with the local officials to try and manage the Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC) in the region. But the elephants continue to raid our crops and no concrete actions have been taken by division officials,” said a member.
The orders to capture both the animals reached the office of the Chief Conservator of Forests of Coimbatore Circle a few days before District Collector wrote to the Chief Wildlife Warden regarding the issue. The Collector had requested the capture and translocation of both the elephants from Thadagam to Mudumalai Tiger Reserve.
He also wrote to the Shambhu Kallolikar, Secretary to the State Government from the department of Forest and Climate Change last week emphasizing on the same request.
Officials on the other hand had been approaching the issue carefully considering the risks involved. They have been using Kumki elephants and field staff to guide the elephants to other areas.