Every evening, a mischievous baby elephant strays from its herd in the Pathiri South forest zone and sneaks into Neykuppa, a small Chetti settlement in Wayanad. Drawn by curiosity and the scent of human life, the young elephant heads straight for the bamboo-thatched bathrooms next to the homes, where it indulges in an unusual feast — bathing soaps.

Once inside the settlement, the elephant doesn’t stop there. It raids kitchens for sacks of rice, breaks open boxes to gulp down sugar, and knocks over vessels, pots, and plastic buckets, playing with them like toys. Residents say it even tears through flimsy bamboo doors and mud walls to reach bathrooms near ponds or paddy fields, disturbing workspaces and sheds used for storing firewood.

Dheena, a local resident, describes the animal as “tiny and playful, but unpredictable.” She fears the elephant, despite its innocent antics, may eventually cause serious harm. "It rushes in suddenly, and even the slightest noise sends it fleeing back to the forest. But its strength is no joke — it’s already damaged several structures," she said.

Chenchadi Venugopal, a farmer, said the elephant has a strange fascination for soap and even cloth. “It grabs them through bathroom windows or finds them near washing areas. Once, it even broke a large copper vessel,” he recalled. “We hear odd noises, and by the time we check, it’s already dashed back into the jungle.”

Another resident, Ananthakrishnan, said the calf seems particularly fond of the clanging sound made by utensils. “It hurls them in the air, chases after them, and hits them again with its trunk. It looks like it's genuinely enjoying itself,” he added.

Though the animal's antics may seem amusing, residents say they come as an added burden. Elephant herds already destroy their crops regularly, and now the baby’s games are damaging property too. The small wooden cages for dogs and temporary sheds have become easy targets for the calf.

The forest department recently visited Neykuppa and assessed the damage to bathrooms, vessels, and thatched structures. Villagers suspect the same elephant had earlier troubled residents of Thirunelli and Tholppetty with similar behaviour. Now, the people of Neykuppa are demanding urgent intervention. “Before its games turn tragic, something must be done,” the residents said.