'Arikomban's healthy,' Forest dept rubbishes rumours on tusker's death

Thiruvananthapuram: The Forest Department has dismissed rumours that the wild elephant Arikomban, which was last found in the catchment area of Kothayar Dam in Tamil Nadu, is dead.

A message that the wild tusker is dead is being circulated in WhatsApp groups. "Arikomban is healthy. It is in the catchment area of the dam,” Forest Dept clarified after the message was widely shared.

Arikomban's capture from Chinnakanal on April 29, 2023 caught national attention. The tusker had terrorised the region with frequent raids in human settlements. The elephant had reportedly killed humans. Initially, the Kerala forest department translocated Arikomban to the Periyar tiger reserve but it found its way to settlements in Tamil Nadu's Cumbum. Later, the TN government shifted it to Upper Kodayar forest area of Tirunelveli's Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR). Kodayar forest area is in Agasthyarkoodam on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border.

The elephant's route is being tracked at the Periyar Tiger Sanctuary through a radio collar signal. Kerala forest department also receives information about elephant movement through Kanyakumari DFO.

The comments posted here/below/in the given space are not on behalf of Onmanorama. The person posting the comment will be in sole ownership of its responsibility. According to the central government's IT rules, obscene or offensive statement made against a person, religion, community or nation is a punishable offense, and legal action would be taken against people who indulge in such activities.