Palamau villages on high alert after jumbo invasion (State of Jharkhand, India)
Palamau villages on high alert after jumbo invasion (State of Jharkhand,
India)
The Telegraph India
July 19, 2021
See link
https://www.telegraphindia.com/jharkhand/palamau-villages-on-high-alert-after-jumbo-invasion/cid/1823095
for photo.
Palamau tiger reserve officials have sounded alert in about a dozen
villages falling in the contiguity of the Mandal Dam following the presence
of 70 to 80 elephants there, said sources.
Sources said the elephants are in three to four herds and are twenty or
more in numbers in each herd. The elephants are placid in mood, said
sources.
The Mandal Dam comes under two forest ranges of the tiger reserve. Its one
side is under Chhipadohar range while the other side is under Kutku range.
Kumar Ashish, deputy director North division of the tiger reserve here,
said the elephants assemble every evening at the Dam. This has aroused the
interest and curiosity of the villagers.
“Here we have asked our trackers and forest guards to tell villagers not to
go near the herds of the elephants,” said Ashish.
One source said there are a couple of elephant calves too in the herds and
where there is a calf of elephant the entire herd becomes aggressive and
protective all for the calf.
Asked if the herds belong to the adjoining state Chhattisgarh, the deputy
director North division said, “We believe it is ours. There are around 300
elephants in the PTR and they keep moving.”
He however agreed that Mandal Dam has access to the elephant corridor of
Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh as well.
He said there is no report of any of these elephants intruding into human
habitation or causing any destruction of human property like huts etc.
“We have plenty of bamboos and lots of water and both are relished by the
elephants like anything,” Ashish said
Elephants love water games and bathing and the Dam water comes too handy.
July is the month of bamboo as there sprouts shoots which attract elephants
the most.
Ashish said the ground staff workers have been asked to be on high alert
for any tusker in the lot. A tusker is most vulnerable for its tusks which
can fetch any price in the international or national black market.