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Elephant Arikomban, seen causing havoc in human settlements, tranquilised in Tamil Nadu


Mangalore Today News Network

Chennai, June 05, 2023: Arikomban, the wild tusker, was safely tranquilised in the early hours of Monday in Tamil Nadu’s Cumbum East Range by a team of Forest Veterinary Surgeons and Forest Department officials. The elephant is being translocated to a suitable habitat where the Tamil Nadu Forest Department will continue to monitor him.

 

Arikomban

 

Forest officials tranquilized Arisikomban around 12 am and had also called in three Kumkis elephants for help. Kumki elephants are trained and used in operations to capture wild elephants.

According to Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forests, Arikomban will be translocated to a suitable habitat.

 


The Tamil Nadu Forest Department will continue to monitor him.

Earlier on May 29, officials had tried to capture Arikomban for a second time. Personnel from the Tamil Nadu forest department and police force took along three kumki elephants as a part of their mission.

The tusker was translocated by the Kerala Forest Department in the Periyar Tiger Reserve on 29th April 2023 on the interstate border of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

The rogue tusker, who was translocated from Chinnakanal in Idukki district of Kerala to Periyar Tiger Reserve last month, strayed into Cumbum in Theni district on Saturday.

Arikomban, after entering Tamil Nadu forest, was roaming in Megamalai Lower Camp, Kambam, Surulapatti, Yaanai Gajam and Koothanatchi forest ranges.

A veterinary team checked Arikomban’s vitals, to see whether it had sustained any other injury.

He was then loaded with the help of the three kumkis into a special transport vehicle and power supply was stopped on the path through which Arikomban was taken through.

Tamil Nadu forest officials had already planned to release the wild tusker into the thick forest region after last week’s havoc in Kambam region.


Courtesy: India Today