A forest department trekking shed at Geddai near Manjoor town in the
Kundah forest range was damaged by a herd of wild elephants on
Saturday night.
Forest department officials said that the herd of wild elephants had
entered the Penstock trekking shed through the front gate. The animals
then broke into one of the buildings and destroyed some of the
furniture and also a tank containing water.
A caretaker of the trekking shed, who was asleep near the guest house,
escaped and informed forest department officials, who have dispatched
a team to keep a close vigil on the elephants. It is believed that the
elephants had come to the guest house in search of food and water, as
the lack of rainfall in the upper Nilgiris over the last year has led
to very little fodder being left for the animals inside the forests.
In Coimbatore, a herd of elephants damaged a tea stall at Thailamaram
near Kanuvai on Anaikatti Road on Thursday night. The herd damaged
table, refrigerator and a few other items.