Experts caution people on possible encounters with elephants
The Hindu
‘Keeping lights around the house on at night will keep the animals away’
With the movement of wild elephants increasing due to seasonal migration, experts warn people residing in areas close to forests of possible frequent encounters as the animals are looking for easy food such as rice, fruits and vegetables that are stored in houses and shops apart from raiding crops.
A family at Kalappanaicken Palayam near Vadavalli had a night of terror as a herd of seven elephants damaged the kitchen of the house and took out ration rice that was kept in sacks late on Wednesday. The elephants stood outside the house devouring the rice, before being chased by the local residents.
Residents of Valparai plateau are used to such incidents where human-elephant interactions are daily affairs. “Elephants have an incredible sense of smell. They can smell palatable items from a distance with their trunks. They can easily detect eatables, smells of which they are accustomed to,” said J. Peter Prem Chakravarthy, a biologist with the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR).