Vikaram and Bharat, two Kumki elephants, are the final hope of the people in Palappilly who have been living under threat of straying herds of wild elephants.
The Kumki elephants, from Wayanad elephant camp, are specially trained to assist Forest officials to send the wild elephants back to the forest.
After preparing a detailed plan and strategy, Vikram and Bharat will start their mission from Sunday. Forest officials and experts will prepare the plan after taking suggestions from the local people. A 12-member team, led by veterinary surgeon Arun Sakhariah and mahouts, will assist the Kumki elephants.
It is expected that the Kumki elephants will camp at Palappilly for at least one month.
The Kumki elephants were brought from Muthanga elephant camp to Palappilly after repeated requests from people when straying of elephants became frequent.
Large herds of elephants, some times even up to 45, have been ambling to the village day and night, making life miserable for the people in Palappilly and surrounding areas for the last few years. They attacked people, destroyed houses and properties.
Seven people, including two adivasis, were killed in elephant attacks in the last one year here. People are afraid of stepping out after sunset. Elephants even roam around the roads in groups during day time, according to local people.
The efforts of the forest officials and the local people to send them to the forest turned futile. The elephants, which will move to the forest for a short while, will return soon to the human habitations.
Last week, a 24-member elephant herd, with four baby elephants and five tuskers, were spotted by the rubber tapping workers in Puthukkad estate. The elephants returned to the forest after almost eight hours.
Palappily is a village situated 14 km away from Thrissur city on the way to Chimmini dam. The area consists of large stretches of rubber estates. Rubber tapping workers are mainly the natives of the village. The frequent straying of elephants to the rubber estates and other human-inhabited areas are seriously affecting their livelihood.
Bursting crackers and making noise are no more effective in keeping away the wild elephants here. They are used to such noises, say forest officials. More than two elephants have given birth to babies in the area. This may be one of the reasons why the elephants are visiting this area again and again, says K.P. Prem Shameer, Range Officer, Palappilly.
If Kumki elephants were used mostly in timber depots earlier, now they have been deployed in areas where man-animal conflicts are reported.
