NILGIRIS: The Gudalur forest division has deployed 75 personnel to send a tusker that has been entering human habitation in the last two weeks back into the reserve forest.
Officers of the department said the tusker has been frequenting human habitations and farmlands, attracted by the crops and habituated to their taste.
“A total of 75 field-level staff are monitoring the animal on a shift basis to prevent it from entering the farmlands that are located on the forest fringes where the people have been cultivating bananas, coconuts, tapioca, and areca nuts.
The team headed by Assistant Conservator of Forests is camped at Cherambadi. We are monitoring the animal using a drone and are sending back the animal inside the forest with the help of kumkis Srinivasan and Krishna that have come from Theppakkadu elephant camp,” said District Forest Officer N Venkatesh Prabhu.
“Assistant veterinary surgeon K Rajesh Kumar of Theppakkadu is also camping at Cherampadi to monitor the tusker as well as the kumkis. Moreover, people who are well-trained in chasing away elephants have been brought from MTR. These initiatives are being taken to ensure protection to the crops and people, especially those who are living on the fringes of the Cherampadi and Pandalur forest range,” the DFO added.
Chief Wildlife Warden Rakesh Kumar Dogra has sent an expert team headed by experienced veterinarian Kalivanan to Gudalur to monitor and provide advice to the team.
However, the officer was tight-lipped when asked if there are plans to capture and relocate the tusker.