Forest dept. to resume efforts to radio-collar Baahubali this week

The Forest Department will resume efforts to radio-collar the wild elephant nicknamed Baahubali near Mettupalayam this week.

I. Anwardeen, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Coimbatore Circle), said the operation will resume this week, after a gap of about two weeks.

The Department halted efforts to tranquillise and radio-collar the elephant on June 28 after it distanced itself from the special teams.

Members of the special teams engaged in the operation were also of the opinion that the elephant had to be left free for some days as it was under the stress of being monitored and tracked very closely.

An official from the team said the elephant was camping in a forest area namely Nellithurai in the last three days.

“The operation was halted as there was no urgency to tranquillise the tusker as in the case of a sick elephant. The unanimous decision of the special teams was to tranquillise the animal when it is back to the normal routine. The darting will be done only if the veterinarians get to spot the elephant at a very suitable and plain terrain,” the official said.

Three kumkis which were brought for the operation in June are being sheltered at the timber depot of the Forest Department on Kotagiri Road.