Tamil Nadu: ‘Homesickness’ brings tusker Rivaldo back to Mavanallah

UDHAGAMANDALAM: Tusker Rivaldo, which was released into the wild on Monday after 87 days of captivity in a kraal at Vazhaithottam area for treatment, has returned to Mavanallah area in Masinagudi panchayat, where it had been roaming around for the past six years.
The tusker was released near Chickkalla anti-poaching camp in the early hours of Monday. It reached Mavanallah area on Tuesday night. According to forest officials, the radio-collared tusker had covered 40km in 24 hours to reach Mavanallah area.
They said it was for the first time a wild elephant was released into the wild after keeping it in a kraal for nearly three months.
L C S Srikanth, deputy director, Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR)-buffer zone, said they had expected Rivaldo to return to its old pastures. “The tusker’s movement was fast till reaching its home range. After that, it slowed down and has been roaming within Mavanallah area since morning. The radio collar is perfect, except for a technical snag on Tuesday night because of cloudiness.”
The official said two teams were formed to monitor the pachyderm round the clock. “We will ensure that the elephant does not enter Vazhaithottam village. We have alerted the villagers not to feed the elephant and not to go near it.”
One of the members of the eight-member committee, which was formed to study Rivaldo’s health and its release into the wild, said the forest department hadn’t considered the panel’s suggestions on the tusker’s release. “Now, the department is back to square one after spending a huge sum for keeping the elephant in kraal for three months.”
Wildlife experts, meanwhile, said the forest department didn’t have a system in place for treatment or rehabilitation of wild elephants and other wild animals. The only available option, they said, was a camp. They said the department hadn’t followed the soft-release method suggested by the first committee formed for the purpose. A second committee was formed during the tusker’s release.
“Rivaldo is a unique case. It is a highly habituated animal. Keeping it in the kraal has made the elephant more domesticated. The officials failed in the experiment done on him,” said the panel member, requesting anonymity.
The panel member questioned the rationale behind releasing the elephant secretively in the early hours of Monday. “It is believed that the animal was given standing anesthesia while releasing from the kraal. As per the guidelines, any wild animal should not be darted for any purpose after 6pm. The forest department has failed in the procedural formalities.”