With the annual migratory movement of elephants to the Valparai plateau starting, the Forest Department has sensitised estate workers and the public to the need to be careful and to follow the dos and don’ts to avoid negative interactions with the pachyderms.
Staff attached to the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) carried out awareness activities in the two forest ranges in the plateau, namely Valparai and Manambolly.
At present, a herd nick-named ‘Monica’ is foraging in areas falling under the Valparai forest range. Another herd, namely ‘Padma’ comprising 12 elephants are roaming in the limits of the Manambolly forest range. Two other herds have also come to the plateau and they are mostly spending time in the forests.
“The estate workers have been sensitised by the staff in advance. Besides that, the smart virtual fencing system comprising 1,300 infrared-based devices installed at strategically important locations also generates alerts by sensing the presence of elephants,” said Bhargava Teja, Deputy Director of the Pollachi Division of ATR.
The migration of elephants from the Kerala side to the mosaic landscape of estates and fragmented forest patches in the Valparai plateau starts in August and ends by March.
“Tea estate workers have been asked to avoid roaming outside between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. to avoid encounters with elephants. In case of emergencies, they should use four-wheelers to travel. Estate managements have been instructed to check their respective areas before sending workers. Upon spotting elephants, the managements should alert the Department so that field staff can go to the spot and drive the animals out,” said K. Giritharan, forest range officer, Manambolly.
The Forest Department has also instructed residents and estate workers to dispose of waste properly. This is to avoid elephants getting attracted to food waste and visiting residential areas.
Besides the smart virtual fencing system, the Nature Conservation Foundation’s (NCF) early warning system is also alerting the public in the plateau about the presence of elephants through SMS alerts, scrolls on local cable TV networks and also through warning lights.
