TIRUPATI: The Forest Department on Thursday captured a lone wild tusker that had been raiding villages and damaging crops along the Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary border during ‘Operation Tusker ’ in the Jagamarla forest near Palamaner in Chittoor district.
Forest officials, assisted by five trained Kumki elephants, carried out the operation and restrained the tusker after several hours, bringing relief to villagers and farmers affected by repeated crop raids.
According to officials, the elephant had entered villages and agricultural fields. It damaged mango orchards, groundnut and vegetable crops in Bangarupalem, Palamaner, Sadum, Somala, Pakala and Pulicherla mandals in Chittoor district, besides parts of Tirupati.
The repeated movement of the tusker had created panic among residents living along the Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary boundary, prompting repeated appeals for the Forest Department’s intervention.
In response, the department launched Operation Tusker by deploying experienced forest personnel and five trained Kumki elephants. The coordinated operation ended with the successful capture of the elephant in the Jagamarla forest.
Forest officials said the operation aimed to prevent further crop losses, protect human lives and reduce human-elephant conflict. They said the capture is expected to restore normalcy in affected villages.
The officials added that the tusker would undergo a veterinary examination before being relocated.