COIMBATORE: Efforts are underway to rescue a female elephant that was caught in slush at farmland and unable to come out at Karadimadai near the Madukkarai forest range on Sunday morning.
The animal was returning to the Boluvampatti block of the reserve forest and was caught in the slush on Sunday morning at 7:30 am, and the forest staff reached the spot and carried out the rescue works.
"We have engaged a JCB vehicle to create a slope so that the animal can come out on her own since lifting the animal is difficult, as it is impossible due to its weight," said a forest department official.
The place was 1.7 km from the Boluvampatti Block I reserve forest. Forest department officials are closely monitoring the situation.
However, the grove owner alleged that the elephant had been approaching the grove for the last three days and the forest department staff did not stop the animal from entering the grove.
"It seems the animal is sick, and that's why the animal is approaching the grove, and we will know the animal's health soon," said the official.
Meanwhile, a 21-year-old youth, a native of Jharkhand, was injured in a sloth bear attack at CDR estate in Valparai on Sunday morning.
The incident occurred when the injured, identified as Dhomtho Murumu, was spraying pesticide on the tea fields at 7:50 am.
According to forest sources, he has got injuries on his head, hand, and leg and is undergoing treatment at Pollachi Government Hospital.
"We have been monitoring the sloth bear movement to prevent further negative human-sloth bear interactions," said the official.