Palani forest has 86 elephants

Chennai Online
May 13, 2007
Madurai, May 12: A recent survey has spotted 86 elephants along with 23 other species of wild animals in the Palani forest range, Dindigul District Forest officials has said.
According to District Forest Officer Nihar Ranjan, five tuskers, 30 female elephants and 19 calves were identified.
However, the gender of 32 pachyderms could not be identified as they were spotted at a long range, Ranjan told reporters at Dindigul last evening.
Block counting, counting of water holes and dung piles were done to ascertain the numbers.
The officials were assisted by the volunteers of environmental organisations and students.
The workers and volunteers identified several blocks preferred by elephants across the grass lands, forests and river beds and positioned themselves at vantage points to carry out the survey, he said.
They also spotted 23 species of wild animals including spotted deer, sambar, bison, porcupine, flying squirrels, leopard, wild dogs, mouse deer in the range.(Agencies)