KOLHAPUR: The wild tusker in Kolhapur that claimed the life of a senior citizen last month will be captured if the state forest department manages to get a sedative from the Odisha government.
The Odisha government has a stock of the medicine, which is generally imported. This prompted the department to send a request for procurement of the sedative.
“The other major requirements such as the Karnataka forest department’s team of experts and sites to create a kroll have almost been taken care of,” said M K Rao, chief conservator of forest (wildlife).
He added, “We have already written a letter to my seniors as well as the Odisha government to procure the medicine for ‘immobilizing the animal’. As we are sure of procuring it, the forest department has decided not to go for any other available medicine. The elephant needs to be captured but without any injuries to the animal or the team that will carry out the operation.”
At present, all the plans to capture the elephant are subject to the arrival of the sedative.
Rao said, “It is an imported medicine and hence, costly. We have to assure Odisha forest officials that we will use it judiciously and effectively. As elephants are aggressive animals, officers using darts need to be highly skilful so that we can bring the elephant under control with fewer darts. We will otherwise have to expedite the procedure for importing the same medicine, but it will take a longer time.”