Radio collaring of Baahubali dropped as kumkis get weary
After multiple failed attempts, the Forest Department has finally dropped its much touted operation to radio collar wild elephant named Baahubali in Mettupalayam near Coimbatore.
By : migrator
Update: 2021-07-28 20:13 GMT
Coimbatore
For now, Baahubali had retreated into the deep jungles and the three kumkis which have been camping in Mettupalayam for more than a month to be deployed for the operation have also become weary and were longing to get back to their camp at Kozhikamuthi near Topslip in Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR).
Already, kumki Kaleem had set off to the camp and two others, Mariappan and Venkatesh would also join suit. Thus far, they were in the Forest Department depot. “The three kumkis have started showing signs of setbacks in their health. Kaleem is suffering from a foot ulcer, while two others are facing insomnia. They all are desperate for some rejuvenation. Hence, based on the advice of veterinarians, the kumkis are taken back to their camps to give them some relief. The kumkis need to be let off in their natural terrain,” said a senior official of Forest Department.
Meanwhile, a team tracking Baahubali found that it had gone deep into the reserve forest near Nellithurai. “It continues to stay inside as the elephant has been getting adequate water due to a spate in flow of water in natural streams and water bodies following heavy rains. The operation to radio collar Baahubali could not be executed now and would be done, if need arises later on,” added the official.
Tea estate staff killed in sloth bear attack in Valparai
A 36-year-old tea estate worker died in an attack by a sloth bear in Valparai on Tuesday night. The deceased K Mohanraj, an electrician from Villoni Estate was heading to take his wife M Vijayalakshmi, who is working in the same estate as an assistant, back home. While he was on his way, a sloth bear attacked him at 7 30 pm. As Mohanraj did not turn up for a long while, his wife came in search of him and found him lying in a critical condition amidst the bushes. The villagers rushed him to Valparai GH. However, he succumbed to injuries. A post mortem was performed and his body was handed over to the family on Wednesday. The Forest Department also handed over an initial compensation of Rs 50,000 to the kin of the deceased. Camera traps and a cage was set up at the estate to trap the bear.
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