The legendary Kumki Kalim of Annamalai Tiger Reserve at Kozhikmuthi Elephant Camp. , photo credit: Wilson Thomas
SSometimes journalists may have to return to the newsroom without a report even after spending a whole day in the field. Reporting the capture of wild elephants is one such unpredictable task as these operations can last for more than a week.
In the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, home to the largest population of Asian elephants, the capture of wild elephants, often causing crop damage and human casualties, is now commonplace in villages bordering forests. The frequent movement of elephants is seen in the villages near the Western Ghats in the Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu. The capture of a wild elephant is usually ordered after repeated incidents of crop damage and human casualties. In some cases, wild elephants are sedated and captured for treatment.
In June 2021, I went on one of my longest assignments of uncertainty. an operation was launched Tamil Nadu Forest Department To capture and radio-collar a wild elephant named Bahubali, known for his physique and his vigorous entry, or “mass entry” as it is called in Tamil films, in the villages. Accompanied by fellow journalists, I traveled from Coimbatore to Mettupalayam in the Nilgiri foothills for nearly a week, but returned with only brief reports on the elusive animal. When the action started the department brought him most reliable kumki Kalim and two others. As days passed, and there was no sighting of Baahubali, an officer told us that Jumbo had stayed away possibly after smelling Baahubali. kumkis Those who were staying in the wood depot. The operation was eventually called off as Baahubali remained mostly unseen. To the surprise of officials and journalists, after the operation was called off the tuskers once again began their “mass penetration” into the villages.
Earlier in February 2019 went to report the operation run to capture A crop-raider named Chinnathambi From a nearby village in Tiruppur district. The tusker was captured in Coimbatore district’s Thadgam Valley in January and shifted to the Annamalai Tiger Reserve, about 100 km away. But it again started wandering in the neighboring villages of Tiruppur. The elephant embarked on a journey that lasted for about two weeks through villages, intermittently camping at places to eat his favorite snacks – sugarcane and bananas. I covered the last three days of the operation from the field. I camped with fellow journalists at a coconut grove, where we often received tender coconuts from the kind farm owner. Since the movement of the elephant was unpredictable, we were advised to stay some distance away from the sugarcane field in a grove where the elephant was hiding. Chinnathambi was finally caught in a seven-hour long operation and sent to a sheep pen (Wooden circle) in Annamalai Tiger Reserve. now, as a kumki, Chinnathambi completes two successful elephant-capturing operations,
Due to the lack of proper roads, reaching the areas where elephant poaching operations are conducted is often a difficult task. In December 2018, after a few days of tracking, the forest department located their target, a tusker named Vinayagan, at the edge of the Thadgam Valley forest. Vinayagan was supposed to be the bridegroom of Chinnathambi. logistic support including earth movers and pumice stone, Was on standby for operation. A forest veterinarian shot an arrow at the elephant with the first dose of tranquilizer, an hour before I could reach the spot on my motorcycle. In a hurry, I left my expensive helmet on my bike and headed towards the spot. The operation went on for about nine hours. The elephant was finally loaded onto a truck and taken to the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve. Planning some reports in my mind, I quickly walked towards my two-wheeler. But as I expected, someone stole my helmet.
wilson.t@thehindu.co.in