MUNNAR: Arikomban, a tusker that has lived its best days in Chinnakanal for decades, was captured and taken to Mullakudi area of Periyar Tiger Sanctuary.

The capture mission which started at 6 am was completed at 6 pm.

On Saturday afternoon at 11.57, Dr. Arun Zacharia took the first shot at Arikomban near Cement Palam in Chinnakanal. It was 4.40 when the fifth tranquilizer shot was fired to get the tusker into the lorry. Arikomban was in a semi-conscious state for that long and resisted the force of the four Kumki elephants.

It was 6.05 pm when the elephant was taken to Mullakudi in a lorry after attaching a GPS radio collar.

Then the mission team, police and other official team accompanied during the journey of 122 km.

On the way to Nedumkandam, Arikomban, who had regained consciousness at 9 pm, spread fear and another dose of the drug had to be given.

After performing a puja for ten minutes at the entrance of the Periyar forest sanctuary at around 10:30 pm, the convoy entered the forest area. The journey ahead was slow as they had to pass through the road where the wild elephants descend.

The team was worried about how far the lorry will go to the bay through the mud road due to the earlier rain. The elephant is released in the Senioroda-Mullakudi zone, within 21 km from the forest boundary in Kumali.

Why Mullakudi?

1. A place where healthy food and water are available. A forested area. Water-rich lake nearby. Past the lake is a meadow.

2. A distance of more than 30 km from the inhabited area of Tamil Nadu. About this distance to Kumali settlement area. So it will not be able to reach human settlements.

3. There are forest stations at Mullakudi and Methakanam with prepared staff quarters. A group of watchers will stay here for three years to monitor Arikomban.

Radio collar

1. Sound can be heard through the radio system. Attacks by other animals can be identified. The watchers can track the animals by identifying their location through the GPS system. If the elephant is on its way to human settlements, it can still be turned back.

2. Battery life is three years. By then, the elephant will be in tune with the forest.