Kumkis Paari and Sujay leave Coimbatore

Jumbo Sujay, 48, started its journey early on Sunday morning on and reached its destination Theppakadu elephant camp in the Mudhumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR), while the other kumki Paari reached Varagaliyar camp, Top Slip in the Anaimalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) on Saturday itself. 

Both the kumkis were given a warm send-off after pujas were held in which the public and Forest Department employees participated. 

“We were worried over transporting kumki Paari as it was in its musth phase. However, the animal was certified fit for travel by the veterinarian. Both the animals co-operated well during the arduous hill journey. They would henceforth would not be deployed for driving operations and would be used only for tourist ‘safaari’,” said AMN Siva, Forest Ranger, Boluvampatti Range in the Coimbatore Forest Division. 

The department decided to shift Sujay during the night to avoid traffic congestion on the hill route to MTR. The jumbos would be replaced by two other kumkis John, 26, and Cheran, 31, which will commence their journey from MTR on Monday. 

The decision to replace kumkis Paari and Sujay was made as they remained incompatible, making it difficult for the department to involve them in countering the wild elephant menace. Also Sujay lost one of its tusks in a fight with a wild elephant and couldn’t be used in taming operations. 

Two sub-adult male elephants maintained at the Vandaloor Zoo in Chennai will be shifted to the ATR and MTR. “We have received communication from senior officials on translocation of two jumbos from Chennai. The animals are expected to arrive here in two more days,” said a senior official in the ATR.