Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore   

Temporary kumki elephant camp established

Coimbatore: The Coimbatore Division of the Forest Department has deployed three kumkis (tamed/trained elephants) in a state of readiness at the Pooluvampatti range office at Irutupallam, about 28 km from here.

Incidents of elephant herds straying have been reported from, Alandurai, Chinna Thadagam and Periyanaickenpalayam areas.

Though the Forest Department is equipped with anti-depredation tribal animal trackers and kumki elephants, it took time to react when a man-animal conflict took place. The authorities required time to mobilise trucks to bring the tamed/trained elephants from the Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary in Top Slip near Pollachi or from the Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary.

Following this, the Conservator of Forests, Coimbatore Circle, R. Kannan and the District Forest Officer, I. Anwardeen have mooted a proposal to the Government to set up a permanent kumki elephant camp in Coimbatore at Chadivayal in the reserve forests at the foot hills of Siruvani, at an outlay of Rs. 116 lakh.

As an ad-hoc measure, the authorities have established a temporary kumki elephant camp at Irutupallam by bringing in three kumki elephants i.e., Inder (54) from Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary, and Kaleem (39) and Pallavan (50) from the Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary. According to G. Rajeshwaran, Range Officer of Pooluvampatti Range, 250 kg of food was required for every elephant. Ragi and other items that are part of the regular diet have been brought by the mahouts from the elephant camps. Arrangements have been made for sourcing enough fodder and water for these jumbo visitors.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Selection for weaver training
‘Do not waste drinking water’
Competition
Inauguration
Coimbatore-Chennai A\C bus service
Vidarbha cotton growers imbibe new lessons
TNAU scientist bags international assignment
Temporary kumki elephant camp established
Commando training for police
In Coimbatore Today

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu