Forest department warns of action under wildlife protection act to miscreants feeding elephants illegally; activists say it damages digestive system of the animal
Coimbatore: The deputy director of Mudumalai Tiger Reserve Kaushal on Saturday noted that the department will book miscreants under wildlife protection act for feeding elephants illegally.
The department announced this move by sticking posters on the village of Vazhaithottam, where it was reported that few tried to feed and tease the wild animal Rivaldo, an elephant.
“Few people tried to tease the elephant Rivaldo by teasing and some even fed the animal illegally, without knowing any seriousness. We have now put up a notice cautioning them of the punishment”, the deputy director of MTR said.
The elephant Rivaldo was brought into the area and, after this incident, taken to the camp in MTR, the officer added. Rivaldo, the elephant who had been brought up and kept in the village for treatment, was found teased and fed by the villagers, which followed the inspection of Tamil Nadu forest Minister K. Ramachandran.
Wildlife activist Osai Kalidas said the elephant should not be fed by the people as the animal will get used to the food the people feed, resulting in the animal sneaking inside the residents very often. “People should not feed the animal as the elephant has its own food practices and thus the food fed by the people will damage the digestive system of the animal. People should be aware of it and should leave the animal as it is”, he said.
Kalidas also noted that an elephant hunts a distance of 70-700 km for food and added feeding will make the animal to depend on the same besides hunting for food inside the woods. The incident that sparked outrage over the death of an elephant in Masinagudi after it allegedly set fire by the resort owners is also the same. The elephant had come for the food, after being fed by the people, he added.
The department announced this move by sticking posters on the village of Vazhaithottam, where it was reported that few tried to feed and tease the wild animal Rivaldo, an elephant.
“Few people tried to tease the elephant Rivaldo by teasing and some even fed the animal illegally, without knowing any seriousness. We have now put up a notice cautioning them of the punishment”, the deputy director of MTR said.
The elephant Rivaldo was brought into the area and, after this incident, taken to the camp in MTR, the officer added. Rivaldo, the elephant who had been brought up and kept in the village for treatment, was found teased and fed by the villagers, which followed the inspection of Tamil Nadu forest Minister K. Ramachandran.
Wildlife activist Osai Kalidas said the elephant should not be fed by the people as the animal will get used to the food the people feed, resulting in the animal sneaking inside the residents very often. “People should not feed the animal as the elephant has its own food practices and thus the food fed by the people will damage the digestive system of the animal. People should be aware of it and should leave the animal as it is”, he said.
Kalidas also noted that an elephant hunts a distance of 70-700 km for food and added feeding will make the animal to depend on the same besides hunting for food inside the woods. The incident that sparked outrage over the death of an elephant in Masinagudi after it allegedly set fire by the resort owners is also the same. The elephant had come for the food, after being fed by the people, he added.