Arikomban, the wild tusker who was translocated to the Upper Kodayar area of Muthukuzhi forest near the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border on June 6, has now entered the Kanyakumari wildlife sanctuary, according to Tamil Nadu Forest officials.
Despite an injury on its trunk and signs of fatigue from the challenging journey, the elephant has been exploring its new habitat, initially spending time around the Kodayar dam. Forest officials from the Periyar tiger reserve are closely tracking Arikomban’s movements through the radio collar attached to its body, sharing data with their counterparts in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Precautionary measures are being taken along the Neyyar forest to prevent the tusker from crossing the border into Kerala.
Experts have observed that Arikomban was covering a distance of 20 to 30 km per day, potentially attempting to return to its original habitat in Chinnakanal, which is over 400 km away from Muthukuzhi. The presence of valleys and plains in the Kanyakumari wildlife sanctuary makes monitoring the elephant’s movements easier, as it is also a habitat for tigers.
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