UDHAGAMANDALAM: Elephant
Shankar, which was undergoing training at a kraal in Abhayaranyam in
Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (
MTR) in the Nilgiris for the last four-and-a-half months, was shifted to the nearby temporary
elephant camp on Sunday.
The rogue tusker, which killed three people in Gudalur area, was captured from Cherambadi in Gudalur division on February 12. The 35-year-old animal had killed the trio, including a man and his son, in 2020.
Kavadis
Vikram and Soman from tribal communities were deputed to train the elephant at the kraal.
“Besides training the elephant, the two kavadis used to sleep adjacent to the kraal to bond with the elephant,” forest range officer Dayanandhan said. “The elephant has mellowed down and is obeying their commands. It did not show any aggressiveness when it was released from the kraal.”
Including Shankar, there are 12 elephants in the Abhayaranyam temporary elephant camp.
The elephant had unleashed a rampage in 2016 in Pandalur taluk. Forest department could not capture the elephant, which later moved to
Kerala forest. It was seen in Pandalur forest area a year ago.