Chadivayal elephant camp welcomes Muthu, Cauvery

Chadivayal elephant camp in Coimbatore welcomes its first elephants, Muthu and Cauvery, enhancing facilities for captive elephants.

Nearly two months after the inauguration, Chadivayal elephant camp in the lap of Siruvani hills has received its first inmates.

Captive elephants Muthu and Cauvery were brought to Chadivayal from Kozhikamuthi elephant camp of the Anamalai Tiger Reserve late on Wednesday. The elephants were accompanied by their mahouts and cavadis (assistants).

Muthu, now aged 24, was captured by the Forest Department from Arthanaripalayam near Pollachi on November 14, 2019, after it killed three persons. It had also damaged several houses in search of rice, earning the nickname ‘Arisi Raja’.

Cauvery is a 17-year-old female elephant that had been captured by the Forest Department from Thiruvannamalai in 2013.

Chief Conservator of Forests and Field Director of ATR D. Venkatesh said the two captive elephants were shifted from Kozhikamuthi to Chadivayal based on an order from the Chief Wildlife Warden. The two elephants will be at Chadivayal for a period of six months, after which the Department might replace them with other captive elephants from ATR or Theppakadu elephant camp of the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve.

“Chadivayal camp has all facilities for captive elephants and caretakers. Elephants can have shower bath and pool bath at the camp. The diet chart of the elephants at Kozhikamuthi will be maintained here,” he said.