A stand-off between the forest staff and local residents is holding up the rescue of an elephant that fell into a well near Areekode in Malappuram district of Kerala on Thursday.
When the forest authorities racked their brains on ways to rescue it from the well, the residents, citing crop losses caused by raiding herds, demanded that the tusker be either left to die in the well or translocated into a deeper forest.
The authorities have lost nearly one full day because of the stand-off with the people, and the elephant began exhibiting signs of exhaustion after remaining immobile the whole day in the well. Forest officials and animal lovers alike raised concerns about the elephant’s health.
The full-grown elephant fell into the open well in a plantation belonging to farmer Sunny Koorangallu at Urangattiri on Thursday morning. The elephant was part of a herd that raided the farmlands of the people living in forest fringes. The farmers in the area have suffered heavy crop loss because of frequent elephant raids.
When the forest staff devised plans to rescue the elephant by breaking the sidewalls of the well with a earthmover, the local people prevented them and raised a banner of protest. Local politicians too sided with the people, posing a challenge for the forest and wildlife authorities.
P.V. Anvar, Trinamool Congress leader and former Independent MLA of Nilambur, said the elephant should be ”buried alive”. He said rescuing the elephant would aggravate the farmers’ problems.
District Congress Committee president V.S. Joy said the forest staff would have to face the wrath of the people if the elephant returned to their farms after the rescue.
Nilambur North Divisional Forest Officer P. Karthik said they were exploring various means to rescue the elephant in such a way as not to antagonise the people. Several rounds of discussions were held with the people’s representatives even as an expert forest veterinary team from Wayanad reached the spot.
When people demanded that the elephant be tranquilised within the well, the forest staff said it would endanger the animal’s life. “It’s too risky. We will dart the animal only after bringing it out of the well by breaking the sidewalls. We are sympathetic to the people, and are planning to translocate the bull after rescuing it,” said Mr. Karthik.
The DFO said the elephant had started showing symptoms of fatigue, and that its condition deteriorated by evening. Wildlife officials warned that any further delay might lead to its death.
Published - January 23, 2025 11:27 am IST
