CHENNAI: Though the elephant Rivaldo has given the Tamil Nadu forest department sleepless nights after being returned to the forest, officials said the situation was under control on Wednesday. The elephant was successfully kept inside the forest and prevented from venturing into nearby human settlements.
Rivaldo was taken out of the kraal and released in Chikala in Theppakadu forest range of Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) on Monday afternoon. Initially, the elephant moved northwards towards Bandipur National Park but later turned back and headed towards his familiar territory of Sigur plateau.
For the whole of Wednesday, Rivaldo was spotted in the forest close to Bokkapuram, Mavanalla and Masinagudi villages, located inside MTR. The forest officials, anti-poaching watchers and volunteers from local NGOs like Indian Project for Wildlife and Nature (IPAN) have continuously engaged with villagers asking them not to feed the animal.
Chief Wildlife Warden Shekhar Kumar Niraj told The New Indian Express that Rivaldo is healthy and foraging on natural fodder like any other wild elephant. "Both Chikala, where he was released, and the Sigur plateau are part of Rivaldo's home range. We cannot stop him from entering Sigur. What can be done is to mitigate the man-elephant conflict in the area by introducing best wildlife management practices and sensitising people. I have ordered the MTR officials to dismantle Rivaldo's kraal in Vazhaithottam."
Early warning system to be installed
The forest department is planning to install an early warning system in Sigur area, which would alert the field staff when any wild elephant is approaching villages. "It's not just Rivaldo. There
are five other tuskers who make Sigur their home. We are stationing two kumkis in Masinagudi and increasing the number of anti-poaching waters and anti-depredation squads to keep a tight vigil on Rivaldo and others," Niraj said.
Meanwhile, MTR officials said because there are some data gaps in receiving satellite signals through a radio collar fitted on Rivaldo to the control room set up in Theppakadu, there is a proposal to have
an additional control room in Masinagudi. Also, a few radio frequency receivers will be installed on tree tops to help better tracking of Rivaldo.