COIMBATORE: A forest department team which is tracking the Pandalur makhna (PM2) spotted it moving with a herd near the TN- Kerala border on Monday evening. The animal went out of sight on Tuesday morning following which Field Director D Venkatesh and Gudalur DFO Kommu Omkaram formed four teams to track it.
“The team will be tracking the animal round the clock and steps will be taken to capture it, after it reaches the flat terrain in Gudalur. The team will be monitored by Gudalur DFO and Assistant Conservator of forest (ACF). Veterinarians are checking the areas where the elephant was roaming,” Venkatesh said.
According to sources, Gudalur forest division acts as migratory route for the elephants to enter TN. Due to the encroachment and cultivation of Janmam land, some elephants continue to stay within the division, and PM 2 is such an animal that has turned problematic by damaging crops in and around Pandalur.
“PM 2 doest not venture into Mudumalai Tiger Reserve beyond Selkadu. Also, the elephant does not cross into the interior of Kerala, as land owners there use crackers and other incendiary devices to push it back into TN,” Venkatesh said. R Ranjit Kumar, coordinator of O Valley Makkal Iyakkam, said,
“As per orders, PM 2 will be captured and released inside the Mudumalai forest. However there is a high chance that the animal will come to Devala within a few weeks. The animal should either be captived or released in far away areas like Topslip or Valparai.”