Crop-raiding Chinnathambi to be captured today

Two expert kumkis, Kalim and Mariyappan from Kozhikamuthi camp in Anamalai Tiger Reserve have arrived at a farm near Madathukulam in Udumalpet in Tirupur district. The tiresome jumbo, after trekking over 100 kilometres in the last three days stayed intact at the same spot since Sunday morning. 

As there were reports that the elephant fainted out of exhaustion on Saturday, the forest department, on Sunday, treated the animal with loads of fodder and water to keep it in good health. However, the forest department, maintained that the elephant just took a short nap and did not faint. 

The forest department conceded that the jumbo has been used to crop raiding and it may not stay in the forests even if left back in the jungle. According to a forest department staff, “It has become a habitual crop raider. The only option left is to capture it and train him into a Kumki.”

However, the forest department remained quiet on their plans and they claimed that they are awaiting orders from the higher officials. “Everything is in place to capture the animal. But the operation would be undertaken only if given the nod by the government,” a staff added. 

Meanwhile, opposition has been growing against capturing the elephant. According to NI Jalaluddin, president of Nature Conservation Society (NCS), an environmental NGO, “There is just a single male for every 30 female elephants in the forests. If elephants like Chinnathambi, which is in its peak reproductive age are captured and turned into Kumki, it may drastically affect the male, female ratio of elephants in the forest cover.”

Further, he suggested that Chinnathambi could be translocated to Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR), which has a large forest area than Anaimalai Tiger Reserve. “It would also get paired soon with female elephants present in abundance in MTR,” he added. 

The elephant, which was raiding farms in Coimbatore outskirts, was captured on January 25. A minor commotion prevailed as large number of villagers, who had gathered to take a look at the jumbo, created noisy scenes disturbing the peace of the animal. The police along with the forest department forcibly sent the people away from the spot.