Forest Dept. staff injured as tusker overturns patrol vehicle in Pandalur

A Forest Department vehicle was damaged and a member of the Anti-Depredation Squad (ADS) of the department sustained minor injuries after a tusker charged at and overturned the patrol vehicle, at the Pandalur forest range in Gudalur division on Wednesday (December 4, 2024) night.

A Forest Department vehicle was damaged and a member of the Anti-Depredation Squad (ADS) of the department sustained minor injuries after a tusker charged at and overturned the patrol vehicle, at the Pandalur forest range in Gudalur division on Wednesday (December 4, 2024) night.

According to Vengatesh Prabhu, Divisional Forest Officer (Gudalur), 4 ADS members and a forest watcher were monitoring the animal and were trying to divert it from human habitations when it suddenly turned against the staff and rushed towards the vehicle.

The animal used its tusks to damage one of the windows and then overturned the vehicle before fleeing to the forest. Local residents rushed to the aid of the forest staff and helped them out of the vehicle. One ADS member suffered a shoulder injury and was taken to Wayanad in Kerala for further treatment, officials stated.

This is the third attack on a forest vehicle by an elephant in the Gudalur division in recent months. Mr. Prabhu, the DFO, said that while this attack was by an elephant known as Pandalur Tusker-12 (PT12), the previous two incidents were caused by another elephant in Cherambadi, known as Cherambadi Tusker-16 (CT16). He said that rumours that all three attacks were by the same elephant were false, and urged people not to spread misinformation.

Speaking to The Hindu, he said the recent spate of negative interactions between elephants and Forest Department staff were due to the elephants being in “musth” – a biological state that male elephants undergo, where they exhibit more aggressive behaviour.

“Our field staff are the last line separating elephants and people, and are working day and night to ensure that both sides are kept safe. We are to hold meetings with our field staff to motivate them to continue their exemplary work, and we will also share our learnings as to how to better deal with elephants in the region,” said Mr. Prabhu.