A week on, Kovai tusker travels 60 km, back in Pollachi

The radio-collared elephant was ambling through the narrow streets at JJ Nagar in Angalakurichi, a village near Pollachi and raided crops. “Chinnathambi devoured pumpkin and maize crops while passing through a farm before retreating into the forest,” a forest department staff said.

The elephant was captured from Thadagam valley on the outskirts of Coimbatore and released into the reserve forest at Varakaliyar in Top Slip on January 25. 

“Till Wednesday afternoon, Chinnathambi stayed in its new habitat, but suddenly journeyed over 40 kilometres to reach Aliyar at 2 am and Pongaliyur, a residential neighbourhood abutting forests at 6 am,” the staff added. 

The forest department staff who were monitoring the elephant’s movement through a GPS fitted radio collar immediately sent a team of 30 to bring the animal back into the forest by firing crackers, but it wasn’t affected by them. It later entered Gopalsamy Hills. The forest department, however, continues to remain vigil.

Deputy Director of Anamalai Tiger Reserve AS Marimuthu said two kumkis from Kozhikamuthi Elephant Camp will remain stationed to prevent it from straying out of the forests.

“If the elephant continues to venture into residential localities, we might capture and train it to become a kumki,” Marimuthu said.