The renegade wild tusker Arikomban was set free in the forest of upper Kodayar in Tamil Nadu’s Kanyakumari district, which borders Kerala, after an overnight travel in a specially equipped ambulance through regions bordering the western ghats, according to news agency PTI.
The giant is in good health, and his new home will provide him with plenty of water and the proper feed, according to a senior official with the forest department on Tuesday. ‘Arikomban was released in the upper reaches of Kodayar this morning. His health is absolutely fine,’ the chief wildlife warden for Tamil Nadu, was quoted as saying by PTI.
He said, in response to the public’s worries that the elephant would wander into areas, ‘He has been left in the deep forest close to a waterbody with good fodder availability. Let’s hope he will not stray into habitation again.’
Arikomban was given first help after being tranquillized with two darts and seized on Monday morning by a group of forest department employees and vets. With the assistance of Kumkis, he was forced to enter the specially constructed ambulance and travel around 300 miles from the steep Theni district where he was arrested.
He received a shower while he travelled through the Madurai and Tirunelveli areas to help him stay cool in the intense sun.
On Monday, a portion of the community in Tirunelveli district protested what they believed to be an attempt by the forest administration to release the elephant into the Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve.
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