Orphaned jumbo calves to be sent with other herds: Govt

CHENNAI: The Dharmapuri District Forest Officer (DFO) had informed the Madras High Court that a team has been constituted to reunite two elephant calves with the wild elephant.

It is noted that the calves had on Monday lost their matriarchal herd i.e. three elephants including two females and one makhana as the three elephants were electrocuted by an illegal electric live wire near Kalikoundankottai village, Kendanahalli Reserve Forest in Dharmapuri district.

While the first bench of Acting Chief Justice T Raja and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthi heard a petition related to this elephant death incident, the Dharmapuri district forest officer submitted an affidavit for appraising the court about the steps to safeguard the calves which were saved from the tragic incident.

“A team has been deputed consisting of staff from Hogenakkal, Pennagaram, and Palacode forest ranges for tracking wild elephant herds inside the nearby Reserved Forests. After identification of wild elephant herds, attempts will be made to unite these elephant calves with wild elephant herds for the next 1-2 days,” the DFO said in his affidavit.

He further noted that if the calves were not able to be reunited, they would be transferred to Theppakadu Elephant Camp, Mudumalai. “A special patrolling team was formed to eliminate illegal electric fences and teams were formed to send back elephants into the forests when they come out from the forest,” the DFO noted.