Forest officers remove illegal fencing along the elephant corridor at Chinnakanal
The issue had come into sharp focus following the death of Vijayan of Panthadikkalam in an attack by wild elephant Chakkakomban on Sept 23. At a subsequent meeting attended by locals, panchayat representatives and senior officials of the forest, revenue and police departments, locals and elected representatives demanded the removal of unauthorised fences and solar barriers obstructing elephant movement. An electric solar fence allegedly installed after encroachment on revenue land near RS Estate was also dismantled. The reopening of the Chinnakanal-Mathikettan corridor was seen as a significant step towards reducing encounters between humans and elephants. Forest officers believe that blocking traditional routes alters the animal movement patterns and can force them towards roads and inhabited areas in search of food and water. “The department will monitor elephant movement in Chinnakanal and Mathikettan to assess changes in their movement patterns and entry into human settlements. The aim is to ensure that elephants can move freely between forest areas, grasslands and water sources,” Arunkumar added.