A JUMBO-SIZED PROBLEM

THE ROGUE JUMBO’S TRANSLOCATION WAS ASUCCESS. BUT NOW HE HAS WANDERED INTO TAMIL NADU, GIVING THE FOREST DEPT THERE A JOLT

- Jeemon Jacob

In a dramatic, 13-hour operation on April 29, a rogue elephant that had terrorised the Chinnakanal area of Kerala's Idukki district for close to 20 years was finally captured and transported to the Periyar Tiger Reserve. A 35-year-old wild male tusker with an unnatural fondness for rice grains-hence the name 'Arikomban' (literally: Rice Tusker)-it had gained notoriety for its targeted raids on human habitation. Ration shops, with their stocks of PDS rice and other edibles, were a particular favourite. Over the years, it had also killed 18 people and destroyed 100-odd houses.