Idukki: The rogue wild tusker Arikomban, translocated from Idukki's Chinnakanal to Periyar Tiger Reserve, is returning to Kerala side after exploring the Tamil Nadu side of the forest, authorities said on Tuesday.
The tusker had traversed the forest to Vannathipara area in Tamil Nadu after hovering within a 3-km radius from the site of release on the first day. The elephant is still within a 10-km radius of the release site.
The forest personnel are receiving signals from the GPS fitted around the tusker and is continuously monitoring it.
Though forest officials arranged stacks of grass at different spots, the elephant has not touched these. Meanwhile, two of the water barrels mixed with medicine for the tusker were found in an overturned state. Though a herd of six elephants approached the tusker on Monday, it retreated.
According to the Forest Department, the elephant has begun acclimating to the new habitat.
An eight member team including a veterinary doctor is observing the elephant.
The rogue jumbo, known for its strong penchant for rice, had terrorized the Chinnakanal region of Idukki for three decades, raiding houses and ration shops in search of grains, besides trampling to death at least seven persons.
The tusker was translocated in a mission led by Forest Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Arun Zachariah. The elephant was released into the sprawling Seeniyaroda forest region, close to the Tamil Nadu border.
