CHENNAI: Observing no encroachment must be allowed on forest land, the Madras High Court on Friday stressed the need to protect and preserve elephant corridors in the State. The court also made it clear that Rivaldo, a wild elephant, cannot be kept in captivity permanently even if captured for treatment and that such animals must be ultimately released into the wild.
T Murugavel filed a PIL seeking to forebear authorities from capturing the elephant in Sigur plateau of Nilgiris district. According to him, Rivaldo is a gentle elephant, tolerant to human presence. A decade ago he injured the tip of his trunk. This led to him getting fed with fruits, sugarcane and coconuts by the residents, he added.
The counsel for the forest department submitted that attempt was being made to capture the elephant only to provide treatment. The first bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy observed that the number of captive elephants appears to be more than what can be ignored. The bench further added that a detailed report on the census on the number of elephants that are under captivity and in the wild has to be carried out and disposed of the plea.