By J Shanmugha Sundaram |
TIRUVANNAMALAI 28th August 2013
The elephant herd running in panic, after tranquilliser shots were fired; and (right) a veterinarian with a gun and a team of forest officials watch the operation near Pennaiyar Reserve Forest. (Express Photo)
The country’s first major operation of tranquilising and translocating an elephant herd kickstarted on Tuesday. The forest officials with the help of a team of eight veterinarians tranquillised the matriarch and a tusker on the first day of the operation ‘Malai’ taken up at a cost of `73 lakh.
Forest officials engaged three kumki elephants - Vijay, Sajay and Waheem - to guard the tranquilised jumbos, and chain them inside the forest area.
A senior forest official said they planned to tranquillise the sub-adults of the herd first and later dart the tusker, which is nicknamed Othaikomban as it has a single tusk, and the matriarch. However, it did not go as they planned.
“The things happened on Tuesday were quite contrary to our original plan. We planned to tranquillise the sub-adults first and dart the tusker and the matriarch after that. We drafted this plan as the sub-adults will panic without the matriarch that will guide the herd,” said a senior forest official.
However, the four young elephants remained with the matriarch after they were sedated. Though the young elephants delayed the forest officials from chaining the matriarch, they did not react violently.
The forest officials are using tranquilliser gun, which has a range of 50 to 60 feet, to inject the drug to sedate.
“We used silencer in the tranquilliser guns as the shooting sound will cause panic to the pachyderms,” said the official.
Initially, the forest officials planned to drive the herd to the Central-State Seed Farm in Melchengam and execute operation ‘Malai’. However, they altered the plan and shifted the operation to the present location after the elephant herd started camping at Pennaiyar reserved forest since Friday.
“After tranquillising the entire herd, we will decide where to take the jumbos,” said Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest Malkani.
The mother elephant, which was tranquilised as part of the operation was later spotted nearly 2 km inside the forest.
“The female elephant was in a drowsy condition. The effect of the drug will remain effective for two hours,” said Conservator of Forests, Vellore Circle Kalayana Sundaram said.
Malkani, who led the operation, said, “We have chained the two elephants that have been tranquilised in their present locations. Four other sub-adult jumbos are staying with the mother elephant.”
He added that they would continue the operation on Wednesday and tranquilise the rest of the herd. The veterinarians would reach the forest and dart the sub-adults while sitting on top of kumki elephants.
“We will transport the elephants at one go from here after tranquilising the entire herd,” he said.
The forest officials have also deployed about 50 of its personnel inside the forest area, besides engaging elephant trackers to monitor the rest of the herd.
No comments:
Post a Comment