Kumki elephant loses tusk in Chadivayal camp attack

COIMBATORE: A 46-year-old Kumki elephant ‘Sujay’ was severely injured after being attacked by a giant wild elephant inside the Chadivayal elephant camp near Kovai Courtallam in the early hours of Wednesday.  

According to forest sources, the wild elephant which was nearly 10 feet tall intruded into the camp after damaging the Elephant Proof Trenches and Solar fence set up by the department and attacked Sujay before the Mahouts and Kavadis reach there to rescue the animal around 4.15 am. Sujay lost its right tusk in the fight that lasted for about 15 minutes.

C Dinesh Kumar, Forest Range Officer, Boluvampatty forest, said, “The wild elephant entered into the camp and attacked Sujay. All our efforts to stop the animal went in vain. Sujay lost its right tusk but sustained no other injury. Due to the injury, Sujay lost large amount of blood. Veterinarian N S Manokaran, who is providing treatment to injured elephant, says it will take 15 more days for the animal to recover from its injury.  

“Usually, we do not tie Kumki elephants during night time, they are kept only by chaining on their legs for easy movement. We have also placed solar light under which the elephants usually take rest.
“Our mahouts who sleep near the animal noticed the wild animal entering into the camp after Sujay produced trumpeting sound. We chased away the animal using crackers and camp fire. Another Kumki elephant, Paari, was standing at 100 meter distance from Sujay, but was unhurt,” he added. As of now Sujay is consuming green grass, banana stem, maize, fruits and discharging dung well.

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