COIMBATORE: Efforts are underway to capture a ‘Makhna’ at Saralappathy near Pollachi forest range in Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) for the third day on Sunday. If caught, this is the third time this year the jumbo has been captured.
A team of elephant trackers from the Ulanthi forest range are monitoring the animal directly as well as using his footprint at Saralaplathi. This has helped the team of four veterinarians to understand the behaviour of the animal which frequently enter Pattaland near Saralappathi for consuming crops such as coconut leaves and mango etc.
The team observed that the animal came out of the reserve forest at 6 or 7 pm every day and spent the whole night up to 6 am on the patta lands, creating panic among farmers. Speaking to TNIE, a senior official of ATR said, “Though the animal remains a crop raider, it has not attacked any human so far. However, based on local and farmers’ requests, we are relocating the animal.”
According to the order issued by chief wildlife warden Srinivas R Reddy, the animal will be captured and released at Chinnakallar near Valparai if everything goes as planned. A veterinarian who is part of the operation told TNIE that the health of the jumbo is good since it is grazing and drinking water well along with other regular activities. “We can sedate the animal only if the animal is in good health. We have asked the farmers to cover up the pits dug up for storing water in the patta land at Saralapathy,” said a forest department staff.