With maize fields lying close to forest boundaries nearing harvest season, movement of elephants, both lone and herds, has increased in Coimbatore and Pollachi forest divisions.
Except Karamadai, all the seven forest ranges in Coimbatore Forest Division are witnessing regular movement of elephants outside the forest boundaries.
Pollachi Forest Division comprising Valparai, Manamboly, Ulandy and Pollachi ranges is also witnessing migration of elephants. With large area of plain agriculture fields sharing boundary with the forest, straying of elephants into agricultural lands is reported high in Pollachi range.
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“The movement of elephants will be high this time of the year mainly because of crops that are nearing harvest season.
The migration movement is also high between November and January,” said S. Ramasubramanian, Conservator of Forests, Coimbatore Forest Division.
With large area of forest and connectivity to The Nilgiris, incidences of elephants coming out from Karamadai range are very low even in migration and harvesting season.
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Coimbatore Forest Division’s territorial boundary runs to an extent of about 350 km adjacent to the human habitations and farmlands. Periyanaickenpalayam, Mettupalayam and Coimbatore ranges are witnessing more incidences of elephants crossing forest boundary now.
Mr. Ramasubramaniam added that 99 % of the elephant straying was attended by front line staff at the earliest. A group created on the mobile messaging platform WhatsApp for farmers was acting as an alarm system.
With repeated instances of elephants entering agricultural fields near Sethumadai in Pollachi Forest Division, the Forest Department on Thursday deployed four kumkis (tamed/trained elephants) Khaleem, Suyambu, Mariappan and Venkatesh from Kozhikamudhi elephant camp of Anamalai Tiger Reserve for anti-depredation works. The kumkis will be stationed at Sethumadai and Odayakulam where elephants entered agricultural fields.
V. Subbaiah, District Forest Officer, Pollachi Forest Division, said that kumkis were brought from Kozhikamudhi on Wednesday to prevent further rampage by the wild elephants.
On Wednesday night, an elephant herd had strayed from Sethumadai forest to the village. Paramasivam, a farmer, was chased by an elephant. After informed by villagers, front line staff of Forest Department reached the spot and chased the elephant. The same herd moved to Odayakulam, around 10 km away from Sethumadai, later at the night.
The elephants entered a farm and damaged several coconut palms. Forest staff burst fire crackers and chased the herd back to forest before causing more damage to agriculture fields.