With Arikompan roaming mostly near Kumily, speculation is rife about the wild tusker looking for a way back to Chinnakkanal, its original habitat. According to Forest department sources, the connected forests and the present path of Arikompan indicate that the tusker is on his way back.
According to Forest department officials, Arikompan reached within 100 metres of a human habitation at Rosapookandam, near Kumily town, around 11 p.m. on Thursday. Noticing the presence of the tusker through the satellite radio collar signals, a team led by Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR) field director P.P. Pramod and PTR East deputy director Patil Suyog Subah Rao reached the spot and chased the tusker back to the forest. The elephant then moved to the Tamil Nadu forest area.
“The tusker crossed National Highway 183 and is now roaming in the Tamil Nadu forest area, around 8 kilometres from Kumily. We cannot predict Arikompan’s movement,” said Mr. Pramod, adding that Kerala and Tamil Nadu forest officials were closely monitoring the tusker’s movements.
Connected forests
A senior Forest department source said Arikompan’s movement path was once an elephant corridor. “The Kerala-Tamil Nadu forests are connected till Bodimettu and then separated by human habitations. If it reaches Bodimettu the tusker can reach Mathikettanshola and Chinnakkanal,” said the source.
Elephant expert and High Court-appointed expert committee member P.S. Essa told The Hindu that the possibility of the tusker reaching its habitat cannot be ruled out. “Three months ago, the Tamil Nadu Forest department translocated a makhana (tuskless male elephant) from Dharmapuri to the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) to prevent it from straying into human habitations. The elephant tried to return to its original habitat and travelled over 100 kilometres. The Tamil Nadu government again captured and radio-collared the animal and released it to the ATR. The elephant has not returned and is now roaming near the Parambikulam forests,” said Dr. Essa.
“If Arikompan is released to the Parambikulam forests there is less chance of it returning to Chinnakkanal,” said Dr. Essa.
