Peerumedu: Rogue tusker Arikomban, which was captured from the forested parts of Chinnakanal region in Kerala's Idukki district following an arduous 12-hour-long operation on Saturday, is expected to settle down in its new abode at the Periyar National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary. The wild elephant was released here in on Saturday a few hours after it was captured and transported to the new location further south of its earlier habitat where it had proved to be a menace for human residents adjoining the forest.
It was released into a deep forest, which is at least 21 km away from the nearest human habitats. At its new home Arikomban won't be short of food and water as the over 300-acre Seeniyaroda area near Medakanam section, close to the Tamil Nadu border, consists of numerous streams, sprawling grasslands, and bamboo leaves, where the well-built pachyderm can graze freely, a reason why the Forest Department chose the site for its release.
There is no shortage of water even during the peak of summer at Medakanam, the largest range in Periyar East Division which has deciduous-cum ever-green forest. Nearby Mullakudi and Tannikudi forest ranges too have similar features.
The Forest Department had earlier submitted a report citing that food and water are aplenty in the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary.
Another reason for the Forest Department to choose the location was the accessibility of vehicles far inside the forest. Here, the wild elephants are often seen in herds and if Arikomban can make friends with the other pachyderms as he did in Chinnakanal, then the tusker won’t come near human settlements, officials pointed out.
One end of Seeniyaroda is Mullakudi, and the other is the forested parts of Tamil Nadu. The nearest human habitation towards the Tamil Nadu direction is also 30 km away. The officials see no chance of the tusker reaching there, too. Since there are Forest Department stations in Mullakudi and Medakanam, the movements of the bull elephant, fitted with a radio collar, can be tracked accurately and in real-time.
Secret arrangements in forest
Earlier, hundreds of Forest Department personnel were deployed in the section from Kumily to Medakanam in the Periyar Reserve to make all arrangements and preparations ahead of the arrival of Arikomban. Except for those involved in emergency works, all the other Forest Department personnel were deployed in Medakanam.
The temporary forest road was also laid secretly with the help of two JCB excavators. The higher-ups had directed the Forest Department officials not to disclose third parties about the preparations. And to avoid any leakage of information, strict measures, including the non-usage of wireless messages, were taken.
