HC to wait for 3 weeks to see if Rivaldo adjusts to forest conditions

The first bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice PD Audikesavalu before whom the plea moved by animal activist S Muralidharan seeking to restrain the Forest Department from letting Rivaldo in the wild said, “The petitioner says because of the damage to Rivaldo’s trunk it has become difficult for it to breathe and to forage and under such circumstances it turned its back to the wild. Since it appears from the status report filed today (Friday) that Rivaldo may be attempting to acclimatise in the wild for the past few days and its best to wait for three weeks.” The bench also noted that according to the state even though Rivaldo returned after being relocated in the wild, the second attempt has proved successful with the elephant living in the wild and is comfortable and is able to feed.

However, the bench granted liberty to the petitioner to approach the court if events change ahead of the three weeks’ time. The Forest Department had submitted in its status report that various measures are being taken to protect Rivaldo and it is imperative to keep older males like him in the wild for overall population growth of the species. The report also claimed that Rivaldo has started moving more than 40 to 50 km and its foraging was observed. It is also in the company of several other tuskers and other wild elephants and the body language was judged to be very normal and reflecting completely wild, the report said.