With instances of wild animals, especially elephants, entering into human habitation in search of water and fodder increasing in the rural parts of Coimbatore, the Forest Department has intensified measures to tackle the problem.
District Forest Officer S. Ramasubramanian, holding additional charge as Conservator of Forests (Coimbatore Circle), said that 141 anti-poaching watchers were working round-the-clock in shifts to handle elephant movement in sensitive areas.
While a lone tusker recently killed four people at Podanur and Vellalore, another adult tusker created panic in residential areas near Kovaipudur and damaged properties.
Last week, Forest Department deployed Paari, a kumki, in residential areas of Theethipalayam near Perur to drive away a wild elephant back into the forest.
On Sunday morning, an elephant herd strayed into Rayaruthupathy coming under the limits of Periyanaickenpalayam forest range and a five-month-old elephant calf was trapped in an open well. Similarly, wild elephant movement was frequently being reported in residential areas of Mettupalayam.
Awareness
In Sirumugai range, Forest Department has been creating awareness in residential areas close to forests where chances of human-animal conflict were high.
Sirumugai Forest Range Officer E.N. Manoharan said that the Forest Depratment staff were pasting notices in public places at Pethikuttai and Ammanpudur, where animal movement was frequently reported, on precautions to be taken to avoid encounters with animals. “People have been asked not to chase elephants if they were found on farmlands. They can contact us in the numbers given in the notices, so that Forest staff with expertise in the field will do the job,” said Mr. Manoharan.
Residents have been instructed to keep the porch lights on at night, while farmers have been advised not to stay in the fields during nights. People were also asked not to roam in forest fringes in late hours and early morning.
