The wild tusker Arikompan, which was translocated from Chinnakkanal to the Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Idukki recently, has been camping at Megamalai under the Tamil Nadu Forest area for the past seven days.
According to Tamil Nadu Forest department officials, the tusker has been roaming in and around the Megamalai region since last Wednesday. A Tamil Nadu Forest department official said that Arikompan was now camping near the Ananda tea estate, near Megamalai.
“A 30-member Tamil Nadu Forest department team is still monitoring the movements of the tusker. The ban on the entry of tourists to the Megamalai hill station will continue. But the movement of public transport and local people from Chinnamannur to Megamalai will be allowed,” said the official.
Kerala Forest department officials said that the shola forests, grasslands, and tea plantations at Megamalai attracted the tusker to camp there. “The tusker gets enough food and water in Megamalai and the area has similar habitat as that of Chinnakanal,” said a Forest department official.
“According to signals received by the Kerala Forest department from the satellite radio collar, the tusker is now roaming 8.5 km away from the Periyar border and 2.5 km from the Megamalai reserve. The last signal was received around 9 a.m. on Wednesday,” said the official.
