Rogue elephant released from kraal after 7 months

It is the first successful release from a kraal following the death of jumbo Madukkarai Maharaja in the Kraal at Varagaliyar near Topslip on June 21. Forest officials said that the elephant was confined to a kraal for domestication. The period spent by an elephant in the kraal varies. It ranges from three months based on the elephant’s behaviour and readiness to get tamed. The elephant captured at Gudalur suffered from eye problem even before it was captured. The pachyderm was trained by mahouts and a decision to release it was taken after it started obeying the commands of mahouts, after resistance during for the first few months. On Friday, the elephant was checked by a team of veterinarians from Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University. 

It was then released from the kraal in the Theppakadu elephant camp and taken to the Bombax elephant camp with the support of other camp elephants. However, the elephant was reacting angrily. It is suspected to be out of fear and inability to handle it’s vision impairment in one eye. “The elephant is partially blind. It is better for the elephant to continue medication at the Bombax camp as it close to the river. It will also be closely monitored with other camp elephants,” veterinarian E. Vijayaraghavan said. The veterinarian said that the Bombax camp located close to the river provides an ideal place for further treatment, recuperation and training of the jumbo.