Closure of horticulture farm to improve functionality of critical Kallar elephant corridor near Coimbatore

One of the obstacles in the critical Jaccanaire-Hulikal Durgam elephant corridor near Mettupalayam in Coimbatore district is being removed as the 124-year-old State Horticulture Farm at Kallar in the Nilgiris foothills has stopped permitting visitors and removed solar fences around the farm.

In the crucial Jaccanaire-Hulikal Durgam elephant corridor near Mettupalayam, a significant obstacle is being removed. The State Horticulture Farm at Kallar, located in the Nilgiris foothills, has ceased allowing visitors and dismantled solar fences around the farm. While the farm has not yet entirely ceased operations, the Horticulture Department stopped visitor entry from February 28 and removed installations in the children’s play area.

Established in 1900, the 21.8-acre farm is situated in the Jaccanaire-Hulikal Durgam elephant corridor, also known as the Kallar corridor. In September 2022, the Madras High Court had ordered the Horticulture Department to find an alternative location while hearing petitions related to elephant corridors in Tamil Nadu.

An official from the Horticulture Department mentioned, ‘Fences around the farm have been removed as of now, and visitors are not allowed considering their safety. Regular farming works, including planting of seedlings and collection of farm produce are going on.’

Forest Department officials note that the removal of fences will facilitate the movement of elephants through the farm, located on the Mettupalayam – Udhagamandalam Road passing via Coonoor. Previously, elephants had to navigate around the obstacle, often leading to negative interactions with humans. Heavy vehicular movement to and from Ooty is also a significant impediment in the corridor that links the Brahmagiri–Nilgiris–Eastern Ghats elephant population range with the Nilambur-Silent Valley–Coimbatore population range.

B. Ramakrishnan, Assistant Professor at the Department of Wildlife Biology at the Government Arts College, Udhagamandalam, said the farm is situated in the bottleneck area of Kallar corridor.

“Kallar is one of important elephant corridors as it connects Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats elephant population. Removing obstacles in the corridor will improve its functionality,” said Mr. Ramakrishnan, a co-author of the chapter ‘Corridors of Southern India’ in the second edition of Wildlife Trust of India’s ‘Right of Passage – Elephant Corridors of India’ and a member of IUCN Asian Elephant Specialist Group.