Palakkad: The Forest Department’s operation to capture the wild tusker named Palakkad Tusker 7 (PT 7), which has been straying into inhabited areas terrorising local people, is to begin today.
The first batch of the team led by Forest Department Veterinary Officer Dr Ajesh Mohandas from Muthanga in Wayanad and RRT Range Officer N Roopesh would start the preliminary processes today. The team would be fully equipped once the next batch led by the Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Arun Zachariah also joins the team.
Though the team had demanded to bring a third Kumki named Surendran, besides the Kumki elephants Bharathan and Vikram which have been brought from Wayanad, the Forests Chief has not approved of it. The demand was for at least three Kumki elephants to capture an elephant like PT 7 with big tusks and a huge body.
Dr Arun Zachariah was injured during an operation to capture an elephant that had strayed into Bathery, Wayanad. However, the Department was particular about the presence of such an experienced doctor while administering the rogue elephant PT 7 with the tranquillizer shot.
PT 7, which has been straying into the inhabited areas alone or along with the herds and terrorizing people, is alone now, as per the Forest officers’ assessment. The plan is to guide the lone tusker to a convenient place, administer tranquillizers and capture it with the help of Kumkis.
