Udhagamandalam: A male elephant rescued from Jawalgiri Reserve Forest near Hosur in 2010 has arrived at the Theppakadu elephant camp in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) in the Nilgiris. Giri, a nine-year-old elephant, will undergo training at the camp.
Giri was just a few months old when he was rescued from the reserve forest, where he was found wandering, MTR deputy director VA Saravanan told TOI. “From there, the forest department sent him to the Arignar Anna Zoological Park in Vandaloor, Chennai. As per the norms, after he became mature, the male subadult elephant was sent to the elephant camp to get trained,” he said.
As of now, Giri is housed along with six elephants at Bombax camp close to Theppakadu. He is yet to adjust to the new environment and the herd of elephants at the camp, forest range officer Dayanandhan said. “The elephant is experiencing stress and is refusing to eat. It takes at least six months to one year for elephants to get fully accommodated to the new environment,” he said.
A mahout has been assigned to Giri to train him. “He will be trained to obey commands. Also, to familiarise him with the forest areas, he will be shifted between various places at regular intervals,” Dayanandhan said.
Last week, camp elephants Cheran and John were sent from Theppakadu camp to the Sadivayal camp in Coimbatore. Camp elephant Sujai from Sadivayal was sent to Theppakadu camp a few days ago. “Sujai was sent to Sadivayal from Theppakadu camp a few years ago. He broke one of the tusks during a kumki operation. He has been brought back to Theppakadu as he can no more be deployed for kumki operations,” Saravanan said.
The Theppakadu camp now has 23 elephants including a calf.
