“Arikomban, the wild tusker that was moved from Idukki’s Chinnakanal four months ago, has successfully adapted to its new habitat. It is now a member of a 10-elephant herd, which includes two calves, living in the Kodayar forest range within the Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR) in Tamil Nadu. The Tamil Nadu Forest Department states that Arikomban has been residing in this area since June, which is located in the Agasthyarkoodam region, near the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border.
The Forest Department has recently reduced the number of watchers assigned to monitor Arikomban, as it seems to have seamlessly integrated into the elephant herd. However, they remain cautious and haven’t ruled out the possibility of the tusker returning to Kerala.
Arikomban gained national attention when it was captured in Chinnakanal on April 29. Known for terrorizing the region with frequent raids on settlements and incidents of human fatalities, the tusker earned its name ‘Arikomban,’ a combination of two Malayalam words – ‘ari’ (rice) and ‘komban’ (tusker) – due to its fondness for rice. Initially, the Kerala Forest Department relocated Arikomban to the Periyar Tiger Sanctuary, but it eventually found its way to settlements in Tamil Nadu’s Cumbum area. Subsequently, the Tamil Nadu government launched a second translocation mission and moved Arikomban to KMTR on June 5.”
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