Forest fire could have forced the animals to move nearer to plains: officialSpecial teams comprising forest and police personnel were formed in Puttur and Karveti Nagaram forest ranges to track the movement of two wild elephants, after they killed an elderly watchman at a mango orchard on Sunday. Narentheran told The Hindu that the special parties were formed to prevent the two elephants from moving closer to agriculture fields, human habitations and national highways. Of the three elephants forming the Bachelors’ Group, while one turned into a loner, the other two are criss-crossing Puttur and Karveti Nagaram ranges. The elephants are depending on the sparse vegetation on the hillocks and occasionally raiding the crops. Mr. Narentheran said the wild elephants could have left the Karveti Nagaram reserve forest area and entered the plains due to a fire reported few days ago.

Source: The Hindu May 10, 2021 16:51 UTC