Tamil Nadu: Wild tusker Arikomban causes havoc in Manjolai; Forest Dept shares pictures
The Tamil Nadu Forest Department is trying to send back Arikomban, the wild tusker that entered the inhabited area of Manjolai, Tamil Nadu, on September 20. The forest department has shared images of the wild tusker roaming in the Ooth Estate.
FollowChennai: The Tamil Nadu Forest Department is trying to send back Arikomban, the wild tusker that entered the inhabited area of Manjolai on September 20. As per new reports,40 personnel are involved in an operation to chase Arikomban back to the forest. Meanwhile, the entry of tourists to Manjolai Hills has been banned for the time being. The forest department has shared images of the wild tusker roaming in the Ooth Estate. It has been two days since Arikomban reached the inhabited area in Manchola.
The unwelcome presence of the elephant has caused significant damage to local properties and has prompted the Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Sanctuary to impose a temporary ban on tourism. The Tamil Nadu Forest Department is evaluating the situation and believes that Arikomban may not proceed further into Kerala due to the challenging terrain ahead.
Arikomban, believed to be a 25-kilometer deviation from its typical route in Tamil Nadu's Kothayar region, has now found in the dense forests of Manchola Ooth 10th forest. In recent days, the elephant wreaked havoc by destroying a banana plantation in Nalumuk, causing damage to the roof of a residence in Ooth, and also affecting a tree within the premises of the CSI Church in Ooth Estate.
The school was closed after foot prints were found in Ooth school premises. In response to the emerging challenges, forest department officials have intensified their monitoring efforts to ensure the safety of the community.
On April 29, Arikomban was moved from Chinnakanal in Idukki to the Periyar Tiger Reserve as it constituted a menace to the locals. The jumbo continued to go through several areas, including Meghamalai in Tamil Nadu.
On June 10, the rice-eating wild tusker 'Arikomban', who was translocated to the Upper Kodayar area of Muthukuzhi forest near the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border from Cumbum, ventured into Kanyakumari wildlife sanctuary, confirmed the Tamil Nadu Forest officials.
To take preventative action in case the tusker breaks the boundary and enters the Kerala side, forest officials are keeping a close eye on the Neyyar forest.
Experts noted that the elephant had previously travelled 20 to 30 kilometres each day in an effort to return to Chinnakanal, which is nearly 400 kilometres from Muthukuzhi.
