Rehabilitated elephant enters human habitation; captured again (Coimbatore, India)

Author(s)

The Hindu

Date Published

The Forest Department officials on Sunday captured again the four-year-old male elephant they had released into the forest only a couple of days ago.

They would be taking the animal to the Varagaliyar Elephant Camp.

According to District Forest Officer S. Ramasubramaniam, the elephant they had released into the wild near Athikadavu on April 14 returned to a human habitation early Sunday morning.

It entered a home, perhaps attracted by the smell of jack fruit, by breaking open the door around 3.30 a.m. The family fled to the second of the two-room house and escaped through the roof.

The elephant feasted on the jack fruit and grains.

On information, the officials rushed to the spot by 9 a.m. and after a couple of hours captured the elephant.

The plan was to take it to the Varagaliyar camp to be released into the wild there.

If the elephant took to the forest and did not return to human habitation, they would consider the operation successful. If not, they would next think of taming it to a kumki, the officials said.

For about a month, the officials had treated the elephant after it had developed infection in its mouth – excessive inflammation and saliva secretion.

The officials added that the elephant would be taken to the Varagaliyar camp in Anamalai Tiger Reserve by Sunday night.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/rehabilitated-elephant-enters-human-habitation-captured-again/article18072803.ece