A team of the Forest Department from the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) patrolled forest areas of Sirumugai forest range of Coimbatore Forest Division for three consecutive days to monitor wild elephants.
The team documented 10 elephants, including a male calf in Pethikuttai forest beat of Sirumugai forest range. All the elephants were found to be healthy and active.
Sources with the Department said that an 11-member team headed by a forester from ATR joined frontline staff of Pethikuttai beat of Sirumugai range for the special patrols done from Monday to Wednesday.
They patrolled areas such as Varappallam, Moolaiyoor, Amman Pudur, Irattaikanpaalam, Sambaravalli Pudur, Karupparayan Kovil, Mayil Mokkai and Puthukkadu areas of Pethikuttai beat on the three days.
They observed and documented three male elephants, one male calf and six female elephants, said sources.
The initiative was taken as Sirumugai forest range witnessed eight elephant deaths so far this year, said a Forest official.
Many of these deaths were reported within the limits of Pethikuttai forest beat which is separated by the water storage area of Bhavani Sagar reservoir from the Nilgiri eastern slope of Sirumugai range.
The Department had recently monitored elephants in Pethikuttai beat using a camera-fitted drone .
