Night patrols intensified to drive out wild elephants in Coimbatore Forest Division
The Coimbatore Forest Department has increased night patrols to manage wild elephant movement near agricultural lands. Special teams are also monitoring a specific tusker known as 'Vettaiyan' that has been damaging property in local villages.
Why it matters
Human-wildlife conflict is a growing concern in rural India, requiring active management to protect both human livelihoods and wildlife populations.
The Forest Department has stepped up night patrols in the Coimbatore Forest Division to drive out wild elephants that enter agricultural fields bordering reserve forest areas. According to District Forest Officer N. Vengatesh Prabhu, the department increased the number of boundary night patrol teams from 16 to 18 for all the seven forest ranges in the division.
Frontline staff from the seven ranges of Madukkarai, Boluvampatti, Coimbatore, Periyanaickenpalayam, Karamdai, Mettupalayam and Sirumugai are engaged in the exercise.
Farmers from Thondamuthur and Thadagam regions in the district said they were receiving routine updates on the night patrol teams for each day and their contact numbers on a WhatsApp group called ‘Thadam’. Farmers contact the teams deputed for their respective localities upon spotting elephants outside forests or in their farms.
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