Forest Division’s Particular Freeway Patrol Group Drives AWAY Elephants to Stop Intercepts of Sugarcane-Laden Lorries

With incidents of untamed elephants strategy to make sugarcane-laden lorries within the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (Str) on the Rise within the Current Weeks, The Hasanur Forest Vary of the Hasanur Division has given a small Freeway Patrol Group to Drive the Pachyderms Again Into The Forest.

The 27-km stretch of the Dindigul-Mysuru Nationwide Freeway (NH 948) Traverses The Reserve Between The Bannari and Karapallam Forest Verify-Posts. SUGARCANE Cultivated in Thalavadi and Karnataka’s chamaarajanagar district is transported every day by loorries to a personal sugar mill in Sathyamangalam. Because the harvesting season started final month, interceptions by elephants have turn into frequent.

Drivers recounted that the elephants impede carriages, tear open tarpaulin covers, and pull out Sugarcane bundles earlier than retreating into the forest. A driver from Thalavadi Recalled Being Pressured to Halt When an Elephant Stood on his method. “It grabbed a bunch of cane and vanished into the forest,” He mentioned.

A Forest Division Officer at Str Mentioned That, On An Common, 1,200 to 1,300 Autos Go By the Karapallam Verify-Submit Each Day, Together with 650 to 700 Lorries. Of the 150 to 170 loorries transporting sugarcane every day, about 60 to 70 to 70 come from thalavadi whereas the remaining are from karnataka. The officer mentioned Herds Numbering greater than 15, Together with a tuskless male (makhna), are habitally sighted alongside the freeway. One group is seen between the state border at Punajanur in Karnataka and Karapallam, One other group of Six Elephants Alongside the Karapalam-Hasanur 7-Km Ghat Part, and A Cherd Close to Baannari.

Most Incidents Happen Between 3 PM and 5 PM, Quickly after Cane-Laden Lorries Start Their Journey. The Forest Division Had Earlier Mandated that Drivers to Cowl Hundreds With Tarpaulin, A Measure in Pressure Since Since October 2024. Compound Formulated to Camouflage the Scent of Sugarcane.

Nonetheless, officers admitted that elephants have shortly tailored and that measures have had haad solely marginal impact. “Thought We Chase them Away, they re-merege at one other level on the freeway,” the officer mentioned, including that the animals confine their raids to sugarcane and haven’t endangered people.

Viral Movies Entice Vacationers

The officer additional mentioned the non-public Sugar Mill Had Assured that Harvesting within the Area Would Conclude Inside 10 Days, which can convey Short-term Aid TOMMUTERS and LORRY Operators. In the meantime, movies of elephants intercepting lorries have gone viral on social media, drawing vacationers to haveanur. Officers warned that such visits heighten the danger of human -nimal battle.