NEW DELHI: Forest officials of India have successfully captured and relocated a wild tusker elephant responsible for killing at least six people in the southern state of Kerala.
The male Elephant, known as Arikomban or “rice-tusker,” had gained notoriety for raiding shops for rice and grains.
On Saturday, a team of 150 forest officials managed to capture the Elephant using tranquilizer shots, despite the animal’s resistance.
Arikomban had been previously hit with tranquilizer shots in 2017 but managed to escape. This time, however, the Elephant was finally captured, its legs tied and its eyes bound with a cloth.
Arikomban was then pushed and nudged by four kumki elephants, which are trained elephants used to capture others, into a truck. The captured Elephant was fitted with a GPS collar and transported to a wildlife reserve.
Officials had attempted to capture the Elephant before, with one attempt involving the erection of a dummy ration shop to lure it in, but this plan was stopped by a court.
Population of wild Asian elephants in India
Conservationists have attributed the increase in conflicts between people and animals in parts of India to the rapid expansion of human settlements around forests and key wildlife corridors.
According to the government, India is home to more than 60% of wild Asian elephants, with a recorded elephant population of 29,964 as of the last census in 2017.
The successful capture and relocation of the rice-raiding Elephant have been met with relief and celebration in Kerala. The captured Elephant will now live out its life in a protected wildlife reserve, far away from human settlements.
The incident serves as a reminder of the need for continued efforts to preserve and protect India’s rich biodiversity, including its elephant population, while also addressing the human-wildlife conflict that threatens the safety and livelihoods of both people and animals.
