Efforts to tranquillise Baahubali continue as tusker remains elusive

The Forest Department is continuing its efforts to tranquillise the wild elephant popularly known as Baahubali to treat an injury in its mouth, at Mettupalayam near Coimbatore

The Forest Department on Sunday continued its efforts to tranquillise the wild elephant popularly known as Baahubalito treat an injury in its mouth, at Mettupalayam near Coimbatore.

Though the forest staff managed to spot the elephant in a reserve forest at Hulikal Durgam on Sunday, they could not tranquillise the animal as it moved swiftly through the bushes.

According to the veterinarians, the elephant was agile. An examination of the dung of the tusker showed that it was having regular feed. They also observed that the tusker was moving at the same speed at which it had been moving before the injury. The field staff had also spotted the elephant feeding on fodder and drinking water. “The elephant is moving away after sensing the presence of the staff. In order to prevent the elephant from withdrawing further into the core forest area, the staff have been advised to maintain an adequate distance while tracking it. The elephant is expected to stray into farms on Sunday night,” District Forest Officer N. Jayaraj said. Three veterinarians - A. Sukumar from the Coimbatore Forest Division, E. Vijayaraghavan from the Anamalai Tiger Reserve and K. Rajesh Kumar from the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) - are camping at Mettupalayam. Two kumkis - Wasim and Vijay - from the MTR have also been stationed at Mettupalayam for the operation.