THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Assessing the possibility of Arikomban, who is 15 km away from the Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary that is on the Kerala border, crossing into the state, the forest department has stepped up surveillance. The antenna for radio collar monitoring will be handed over from Periyar to Thiruvananthapuram Wildlife Division. The information received through the antenna in Periyar is fed here from time to time. However, the antenna is being brought here now, since Arikomban is near the Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary now.
Arikomban, which reached the Kanyakumari Wildlife Sanctuary yesterday, is now in the Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Sanctuary. Two wildlife sanctuaries share the border with the Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve where Arikomban was released to. They are Kanyakumari Wildlife Sanctuary and Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary. After entering the Kanyakumari Wildlife Sanctuary, one can reach the forest area below the Agastya mountain via Pechipara and thus enter the Kallar region.
However, Tamil Nadu DFO denies this possibility. As there are huge penstock pipes for hydropower generation in Kanyakumari Wildlife Sanctuary, it is estimated that it is not possible to go forward bypassing this, but the State Forest Department says that there is a high possibility of Arikomban entering Kerala through Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary. Keeping this in mind, it was decided to strengthen the surveillance. The Tamil Nadu Forest Department has also intensified surveillance in Kanyakumari.
Arikomban sleeping well
NAGARCOIL: A video of Arikomban sleeping comfortably on the grass in the Kanyakumari Wildlife Sanctuary's Pulluveli area was released the other day. Tamil Nadu Forest Environment Department Additional Secretary Supriya Sahu shared the picture on social media.
Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu forest department says Arikomban is healthy, but elephant lovers don't believe it. Arikomban, which covers a distance of 40-50 km every day and night, traveled only six km on Saturday night, which is the reason for doubt. It is evaluated that the wound on the leg and trunk is not being healed could be the reason but the Tamil Nadu Forest Department says that the elephant has settled there because it likes the weather and the location and the elephant does not travel far during the rainy season.