Tusker Arikomban has a new address: Shola forests of KMTR

CHENNAI/MADURAI: A vast stretch of pristine Shola forest endowed with perennial water source and infinite feed near Kalakkad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR) has become the new home for Arikomban, a marauding tusker sedated and captured near Cumbum in Theni district. The news of the release evoked minor protests in the Papanasam area of Tirunelveli district.
On Monday morning, after trapping Arikomban at Chinnaobulapuram near Cumbum, the state wildlife authorities transported and released him inside a thick jungle between Upper Kodhayar in Kalakkad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve and Muthukuzhivayal in Kanyakumari wildlife division late in the evening. KMTR is more than 280km from Cumbum, where the animal was darted and trapped.
There are no human settlements near Arikomban's new home and it is almost impossible for him to trek kilometres of this forest stretch to come anywhere near humans, say forest officials.
Though initially authorities were tight-lipped about the location chosen to release the tusker, the news of its release in KMTR first surfaced when the state told a division bench of the Madras high court about it.
When two public interest writ petitions relating to the capture of Arikomban came up before a bench of Justice R Subramanian and Justice L Victoria Gowri, the state disclosed the location. Recording the submission, the bench then closed the PIL, filed by M Gopal of Theni district.
The state submitted that the elephant was captured with great difficulty and that he was treated by a team of doctors. The government has already paid compensation to the kin of a man killed by Arikomban and to the owner of an autorickshaw that had suffered damage. Authorities are assessing the other damage caused by the elephant, the bench was told.
Earlier, state forest secretary, Supriya Sahu, told TOI that a team of veterinarians darted the animal around 4am on Monday. "The sedating work was completed very quickly without any difficulty. Once the animal was half-sedated, it was made to board the truck with the help of kumki elephants. In a half-sedated condition, Arikomban was seen keeping his trunk on the rails of the vehicle while travelling. The department had designed a special truck," she said.
Officials involved in the operation were awestruck by the size and gait of Arikomban. "Arikomban is taller than even the best kumki Khaleem. He is habituated to feeding on jackfruit and rice from the residential areas while roaming in Kerala. The same pattern of feeding has been observed when he started roaming in Tamil Nadu," an officer said.
The Srivilliputhur Megamalai Tiger Reserve deputy director said Arisikomban entered Tamil Nadu forests on April 27. Since its entry into the state, this pachyderm was not creating many problems for the people.
There is another public interest writ petition, filed by Rebecca Joseph of Enrakulam in Kerala, seeking a direction to translocate Arikomban to its known habitat in Kerala. The PIL is to be taken up by the Madurai bench for hearing on June 6.