Houses for mahouts, other facilities nearing completion at Kozhikamuthi elephant camp

Construction of houses for mahouts and cavadis at Kozhikamuthi elephant camp in ATR nears completion, with visitor facilities underway.

The construction of houses for mahouts and cavadis (assistants) working for the Forest Department at Kozhikamuthi elephant camp in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) is nearing completion. Works of other facilities for visitors and camp elephants are also in the final stages, according to officials with the Department.

A total of 47 Malasar tribesmen from the Kozhikamuthi settlement, who work for the Department as mahouts and cavadis, will get the new houses that are built close to the elephant camp, on the side of the mud road to Varagaliar.

An official from ATR said more than 90% of the works had been completed and the remaining works would be expedited.

For the visitors, a new gallery area was being constructed at the elephant camp. Visitors would be able to watch feeding of camp elephants and their routine training in the morning from the gallery area. Modifications had also been made for the areas where camp elephants were lined up for feeding in the morning, said the officer.

Supriya Sahu, Secretary of Environment, Climate Change and Forests Department, has been monitoring the works through officials at ATR as the project was announced by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin in March 2023.

The Chief Minister had announced houses for a total of 91 mahouts and cavadis of Kozhikamuthi and Theppakadu elephant camp, which is located in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, at a cost of ₹9.10 crore.

Kozhikamuthi elephant camp is currently housing more than 20 elephants and a few of them are often shifted to the nearby Varagaliar camp on a rotation basis. Kozhikamuthi camp is situated in the core area of the tiger reserve, near Top Slip, in Ulandy forest range of ATR.