Narrow escape for forest staff from agitated elephant

Narrow escape for forest staff from agitated elephant

Video Link:-  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HvuoXuoCBM

Sagaya Fernando

Mumbai: 11 May 2020

Three forest department staff had a narrow escape from an agitated elephant that they were trying to drive back into the forest.

The incident took place on May 9 at around 8 am in the farm of Periyappan Goundar at Sethumadai village near Pollachi town in Tamil Nadu state of India.

The tusker had apparently strayed into the farmland in search of food from the nearby Aalliyar Reserve Forest, at sunrise. The terrified villagers notified the forest department staff who rushed to the spot in their vehicle to drive the tusker back into the forest.

Hearing the blaring sirens from the forest department vehicle, and the loud noises of the firecrackers burst by the forest staff to drive it back into the jungle, the elephant became agitated and charged towards it. The driver of the vehicle alarmed by the tusker’s reaction reverses the vehicle. The elephant continues to charge, and after catching up, whacks the vehicle with its trunk and forelegs. Then it steps back retracing its steps before walking away. Seeing their chance, the three petrified forest staff sitting inside the vehicle abandon it and flee.

Villagers video record the nail-biting terrified moment from the safety of their residence.

“The same elephant has been earlier seen attacking white or silver coloured vehicles. And it attacks only on the left front side door,” says wildlife activist Chandrasekar S Vanam, while pointing out encroachment of forest areas leading to an increase in animal-man conflicts due to shrinking wildlife habitats.