DHARMAPURI: A wild tusker strayed from the elephant corridor and entered human habitations near Dharmapuri town on Monday causing panic among people. Forest staff are monitoring the tusker and are taking steps to contain the elephant movement and keep it in the safe area.
Three days ago, the tusker, believed to be 10-12 years old, arrived at Marandahalli and has been visiting farmlands in the area feeding on sugarcane, paddy and millets. Two days ago the tusker wandered into farmland near Karimangalam and attacked a 20-year-old woman. In the early hours of Monday, the elephant crossed the Dharmapuri- Tirupattur road and entered several villages close to residential areas near A Gollahalli.
Speaking to TNIE, forest department staff said, “The tusker could have lost its sense of direction at night and have wandered near A Gollahalli. Right now movement of this tusker is erratic as it is following the Sanathkumar river course. Because of its current position, we are unable to conduct an elephant drive because there is an increasing risk of the tusker wandering into the residential areas in the municipality.”
Sources added it would be pointless to drive the elephant into the forest as it has deviated from the ‘elephant corridor’. Further efforts to drive the elephant would only cause human-wildlife conflict.
District Forest Officer KV Appala Naidu said, “We have received permission from the Chief Wildlife Warden to tranquilise and relocate the tusker. However, the terrain is unsuitable, and we are unable to tranquilise it. Right now, the tusker is close to a densely populated area and there are several open wells. So there are many risk factors, we are monitoring the situation.”