NEW DEHLI: A wild elephant in India has been captured twice in less than a month, tranquilized several times, and moved more than 280 kilometers (173 miles) from its original habitat to protect it from wandering toward villages in search of food.
Known as the “rice tusker” because he raided neighborhood stores in search of rice, Arikomban has been sent to the southern states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu as authorities work to find him a permanent home. In addition, the elephant has been at the center of legal disputes and animal rights discussions.
According to activist Sreedevi S Kartha, Arikomban has come to represent resiliency in the face of injustice in Kerala. She told the BBC, “Events have demonstrated how brutal the translocation process can be for an elephant.” “It has awakened people in the state’s conscience.”
In Kerala’s Idukki district, close to Arikomban’s original habitat, Chinnakanal, a group of residents demanded his removal earlier this year after repeated encounters with people sparked protests. Authorities allege that the elephant has killed multiple individuals over the years, but the local tribal communities denied this.
The forest department of Kerala declared its intention to seize Arikomban and turn him into a trained captive elephant. To secure the animal’s safety, rights campaigners petitioned the top court. According to Kartha, a representative of People for Animals, one of the organizations that entered the plea in court, the authorities did not present proof that the elephant had killed anyone. In April, a court-appointed panel of specialists agreed that moving the tusker would be preferable.
A large operation to seize Arikomban was conducted over two days at Chinnakanal by 150 authorities. The elephant was transported to the Periyar Tiger Reserve, located around 80 kilometers (50 miles) away, on April 29. The neighboring state of Tamil Nadu’s forest officers found themselves engaged in a similar operation to relocate the animal just a month later.
Tribal communities in Chinnakanal, Kerala, have demanded that the elephant be returned to its natural environment. To get the tusker back, they want to go before the courts. According to one protester who spoke to the news outlet Malayala Manorama, “What is the need to capture and shift the elephant to the tiger reserve if it is made to suffer in such a manner?”
According to Tamil Nadu’s forest government, Arikomban has been moved more than 200 kilometers (124 miles) away from Cumbum, deep inside Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve. Locals nearby reportedly objected to its removal because they were concerned the tusker may cause trouble in their towns.
“Elephants have great localization instincts,” claims Kartha. Since his initial translocation [in April], Arikomban has been attempting to return home. According to her, the only long-term answer is to send him back to Kerala if he decides to revisit human settlements.
