Forest department notices behavioural changes in Chinna Thambi

TIRUPUR: As forest authorities have noticed significant behavioural changes in the crop-raiding elephant Chinna Thambi in the last three days, they have kept two kumki elephants including new arrival Suyambu to capture the wild jumbo, if allowed, near Madathukulam in the district.

They were hoping that the Madras high court would direct the forest department to capture the 25-year-old wild elephant. A special report submitted by Ajay Desai, an elephant expert, before the court, too suggested to capture it and sent it to an elephant camp. The matter will be expected to be heard on Wednesday.

After camping in a sugarcane farm of Amaravathi cooperative sugar mills at Krishnapuram for five days, Chinna Thambi moved out of the farm on February 7. It roamed in and around Amaravathi river at Madathukulam. For the three days, it was camping at Sarkar Kannadipudur village, 2km from Madathukulam.

“We noticed behavioural changes in Chinna Thambi as it was seen little aggressive and started damaging more crops in the village. It may have happened due to physiological changes. Since abundant food and water were available within one or two kilometres radius, it was happy. We noticed that it was consuming heavy food, and its health was fine,” said a senior forest official.

The department has stationed kumki elephant Khaleem here for more than 10 days while another kumki elephant Mariappan was sent back to Topslip. The authorities took the decision after Chinna Thambi retaliated against Mariappan and the latter’s health condition started to deteriorate. On Sunday, another kumki elephant Suyambu has joined Khaleem, with whom Chinna Thambi was sharing cordial relationship.