COIMBATORE: The makhna which was captured from Pandalur on Thursday and released at Congress Mattam in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) has adapted to its new environment. Forest department officials, who are tracking it from Gudalur, said the animal was “roaming happily” near the Karnataka border on Sunday.
Gudalur forest department officials, with the help of WWF, are monitoring the animal through the signals received from radio collar fixed on it. As there is no physical monitoring, the officials are unable to confirm whether the elephant is moving along with a herd or alone. Also, sometimes the signals are poor due to the Cyclone Mandous. However, they believe that the animal is moving along the Moyar river where there is abundance of pasture.
“The animal is exhibiting normal behaviour as the habitat in the surroundings of Congress Mattam is intact. If the animal is stressed, it would be moving quickly from one place to another,” said a senior forest official. The official further said “The wild elephants are unable to move peacefully in Gudalur forest division as some of the places in Devala and Pandalur is disturbed due to gold mines, residential areas and commercial building,”
The field level staff are on a high alert and they will be deputed if the animal comes towards the residential area, he added. After 17 days of search, forest officials tranquilised and captured the animal at Needle Rock in Puliyamparai in Gudalur on Thursday afternoon.