Search continues for wild elephant Karuppan

The elephant that was captured and translocated to the Thattakarai forest range last month, has walked out in search of food

With the wild elephant ‘Karuppan’ last sighted on May 7 in the Anthiyur Forest Range, the Forest Department is continuing the search for the tusker in all the forest ranges in both Erode Division and the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR).

The elephant, which first entered villages in the district in December last year, was captured in Talavadi Hills on April 17 and translocated to the Thattakarai forest range in Erode Division. Since a radio collar was not fixed, the tusker could not be tracked, and it walked out of the Anthiyur forest range, in search of food. On May 4, the elephant reached Perumugai village where it trampled to death P. Sitheeswaran of the same village.

Efforts by the Forest Department to capture it did not materialise as the elephant then moved into the interiors of the forest and could not be tracked. Veterinarians searched for the animal in Kadambur and Thattakarai forest ranges on May 10 and 11, but the effort went in vain. On

Thursday, the Forest Department staff in all the divisions began their search for the tusker. This has continued into May 12.

N. Venkatesh Prabhu, District Forest Officer, Erode Division, told The Hindu that the elephant could not be tracked so far. “Since food and water is available in the interior parts of these forests, the elephant could possibly be in one of these areas,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Talavadi Farmers’ Association has urged the government to increase the solatium provided to the families of victims who have died of elephant attacks from ₹5 lakh to ₹15 lakh.

Menwhile, the family of Sitheeswaran was given ₹50,000 as initial compensation. The remaining ₹4.5 lakh would be given soon, the officials said.

SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT Forest Department staff interacting with villagers during their search for wild elephant Karuppan at Kadambur Hills in Erode district .