Porayar (TN) (Pti): A microchip has been implanted on Ganesan, the temple elephant of the famous Lord Saneeswara temple at Tirunallar near Karaikal here.

Union Environment and Forests Ministry has ordered that elephants kept in temples and other places outside the forest area in the country be implanted with microchips. Biological details such as age, height, weight, birth and other parameters will be programmed into the chip, official sources said.

Each elephant will be allotted a secret code number using which the officials could monitor the animal from a centralised location through computers.

The chip will help prevent elephant poaching and track their movements.Besides, the health condition of the elephant could be monitored with the help of the chip.

Manoharan, veterinary surgeon from Coimbatore implanted the 1.5-icnh microchip on the animal's left ear on Tuesday in the presence of temple executive officer Krishnaswamy.