Kerala: Rogue elephant finally tranquilised in Palakkad

Officials said the elephant will take nearly an hour to feel giddy and lie down.
The PT7 wild elephant being surrounded by three kunki elephants. (Photo | Special Arrangement)
The PT7 wild elephant being surrounded by three kunki elephants. (Photo | Special Arrangement)

PALAKKAD: The PT 7 (Palakkad Tusker 7) wild elephant, which has been giving sleepless nights to local residents for several weeks now, was successfully tranquilised by the forest personnel in an area located between Mundur and Dhoni in the Palakkad district on Sunday morning.

The tracking and darting team has been following the wild elephant from dawn after their attempt did not succeed on Saturday. The elephant moved into the dense forests and was standing in a steep area which prevented the forest personnel from darting it.

Officials said the elephant will take nearly an hour to feel giddy and lie down. The members of the team were stationed around 50 to 75 metres away from the elephant and were monitoring the elephant which was standing still behind a tree and some bushes.  The wild elephant was darted in an area located between the forests and the human habitats.

A lorry, crane and an earth remover have been moved to the area to bring PT 7 to the kraal which has been set up in Dhoni. It will be the task of the three kumki elephants (trained elephants) -- Bharathan, Vikram and Surendran -- to lead PT 7 initially to the lorry and later to the kraal.

A 75-member team headed by Chief Forest Veterinary surgeon Arun Zachariah was in charge of darting the PT 7 wild elephant. There were 25 personnel from Wayanad for the operation including the three kumki elephants from the Muthanga wildlife sanctuary. Two kumki elephants will escort the PT 7 on either side and Surendran will push it from behind into the lorry.

Even on Saturday morning, the PT 7 wild elephant raided the paddy fields in the Arimani forest parts of Chettuvandi, Pulliyampulli and Kuppadam areas. PT 7 has been raiding human habitats in the Dhoni area for the last seven months. On July 8 last year, Sivaraman who had been on a morning stroll on seeing PT 7 had run into the nearby paddy fields. The wild tusker chased him and gored him to death.

It was due to the intense pressure of the locals who had organized agitations before the DFO office in Olavakkode that it was decided to tranquilise and cage the PT 7 rogue elephant. 

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com