Elephant rummages through trash bin in Coimbatore's Masinagudi, activists
and animal lovers shocked (Coimbatore)
The New Indian Express
May 11, 2022
A viral video of an elephant rummaging a garbage bin near the PHC in
Masinagudi on Tuesday has startled animal lovers and wildlife activists.
With summer likely to turn food and water sources scare, which would force
animals to enter human habitat frequently, activists appealed to the
Nilgiris Collector SP Amrith to order all panchayats to forthwith remove
garbage bins from public places and start door to door collection of waste
to prevent recurrence of such incidents.
N Sadiq Ali, founder of Wildlife and Nature Conservation Trust (WNCT), said
“Earlier, we witnessed incidents of sloth bear entering residential areas
in Kotagiri due to the poor waste management by the local body. We
suggested to the district administration to remove all the bins as garbage
smell attracts the sloth bear, Only a few panchayats implemented the
suggestion. Now that elephants have started to look for food in garbage
bins, we request the collector SP Amrith to intervene immediately. “
“Now that the elephant has consumed food from the bin, it is higly likely
that it return to the place frequently, attracted by the salt content in
the leftover food,” he added. It may be recalled that in May 2016, an
elephant rummaged like stray dogs and cattle in the dump yard maintained bu
Gudalur municipality on Naduvattam Road.
Dr B Ramakrishnan, assistant professor, Department of Wildlife Biology,
Government Arts College, Udhagamandalam “MTR is an optimal foraging area
and due to the spread of invasive species and as well as summer, the grass
has dried and becomes less nutritious. This drives elephants in search of
alternative food sources. “Elephant is single stomach animal and only 50 to
60 percent of food gets digested. If the animal takes plastic along with
food, it will get digested and could prove fatal.”
P Arunkumar, deputy director, buffer zone of MTR, said “We are aware of the
issue and have been observing the animal for the last one month. We have
requested the district collector to start engaging sanitary workers in door
to door collection of waste in several villages of Masinagudi and as well
as in Mavanalla and Vaalithottam areas. The collector said panchayats will
be told to empty the garbage bins every evening without fail.
https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2022/may/11/elephant-rummages-through-trash-bin-in-coimbatores-masinagudi-activists-and-animal-lovers-shocked-2452328.html
Elephant rummages through trash bin in Coimbatore's Masinagudi, activists
and animal lovers shocked (Coimbatore)
The New Indian Express
May 11, 2022
A viral video of an elephant rummaging a garbage bin near the PHC in
Masinagudi on Tuesday has startled animal lovers and wildlife activists.
With summer likely to turn food and water sources scare, which would force
animals to enter human habitat frequently, activists appealed to the
Nilgiris Collector SP Amrith to order all panchayats to forthwith remove
garbage bins from public places and start door to door collection of waste
to prevent recurrence of such incidents.
N Sadiq Ali, founder of Wildlife and Nature Conservation Trust (WNCT), said
“Earlier, we witnessed incidents of sloth bear entering residential areas
in Kotagiri due to the poor waste management by the local body. We
suggested to the district administration to remove all the bins as garbage
smell attracts the sloth bear, Only a few panchayats implemented the
suggestion. Now that elephants have started to look for food in garbage
bins, we request the collector SP Amrith to intervene immediately. “
“Now that the elephant has consumed food from the bin, it is higly likely
that it return to the place frequently, attracted by the salt content in
the leftover food,” he added. It may be recalled that in May 2016, an
elephant rummaged like stray dogs and cattle in the dump yard maintained bu
Gudalur municipality on Naduvattam Road.
Dr B Ramakrishnan, assistant professor, Department of Wildlife Biology,
Government Arts College, Udhagamandalam “MTR is an optimal foraging area
and due to the spread of invasive species and as well as summer, the grass
has dried and becomes less nutritious. This drives elephants in search of
alternative food sources. “Elephant is single stomach animal and only 50 to
60 percent of food gets digested. If the animal takes plastic along with
food, it will get digested and could prove fatal.”
P Arunkumar, deputy director, buffer zone of MTR, said “We are aware of the
issue and have been observing the animal for the last one month. We have
requested the district collector to start engaging sanitary workers in door
to door collection of waste in several villages of Masinagudi and as well
as in Mavanalla and Vaalithottam areas. The collector said panchayats will
be told to empty the garbage bins every evening without fail.
https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2022/may/11/elephant-rummages-through-trash-bin-in-coimbatores-masinagudi-activists-and-animal-lovers-shocked-2452328.html