Crop raiding tusker Chinnathambi finally caught

It turned out to be a daunting task as a female elephant and a calf were accompanying the 25-year-old tusker.

According to a forest department official, “The operation to capture the tusker was set in motion around 6.30 am on Friday by administering the first dart. But the female jumbo and its calf refused to move away from the tusker and did not allow anyone to near it. They both were chased away after about one-and-a-half hour struggle with the help of Kumkis.”

After administering two more shots of sedation, the tusker’s legs were tied. “Attempts by kumkis, Vijay and Bomman, to goad Chinnathambi into the lorry triggered a flutter, as suddenly the tusker started chasing onlookers.. It was then brought under control and pushed into the vehicle by kumkis. Unfortunately, the jumbo fell down and hit the lorry while being boarded into the vehicle and both its tusks were damaged,” the forest department staff added.

Expert kumkis Kaleem from Top Slip and Mudumalai from MTR joined Vijay and Bomman in Coimbatore in the operation. The translocation of Chinnathambi comes a month after its pair jumbo Vinayagan was captured on December 18 and shifted to Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR).

Both Vinayagan and Chinnathambi were raiding crops and damaging properties in Thadagam, Kanuvai, Pannimadai and Varapalayam areas for the past six months.

Farmers, who held a series of protests demanding their capture, finally heaved a sigh of relief on Friday.

According to Deepak Srivastava, Chief Conservator of Forests, Coimbatore Circle, who supervised the entire capturing exercise, said, “Jumbo Vinayagan has adapted to its new habitat in MTR. Similarly, Chinnathambi would also get used to its new territory. It will be monitored through GPS fixed radio collar.”

Further, he also added that a Kumki camp will be set up at Pannimadai in Coimbatore outskirts to prevent straying out of wild elephants.