Kerala: Elephant falls into a private well in Malappuram; locals oppose its release in same area

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An elephant fell into a private well in Kerala's Malappuram district on Thursday morning, the forest department is facing difficulties in rescuing it as the locals want the elephant to be relocated to a deep forest area instead of releasing it in the same area again, PTI reported.

As per PTI, the owner of the land in Urangattiri where the well is situated and other local residents raised concerns and told the Nilambur DFO that they will not allow anyone to carry out the rescue work till an assurance is given that the elephant will quieten and transported into a deep forest.

They also demanded compensation for their crops that were destroyed by the elephants frequenting in the area. The DFO claimed that it was not an easy process to tranquilise and relocate the elephant.

Talking to PTI reporters, he said that the feasibility of tranquilising the elephant has to be examined.

He further claimed that it would be much easier to demolish a part of the well to make way for the elephant to come out and then drive it into the nearby forest.

The local residents however told the DFO that the elephant would return shortly after the forest officials leave and therefore, it should be relocated to some other deep forest area. Responding to this demand, the DFO said a decision would be taken after considering people's concerns.

Mumbai: Byculla Zoo bids farewell to Anarkali, its last elephant

Byculla lost its last elephant when the 59-year-old Anarkali passed away on November 10. With her death, there will be no more elephants at the iconic Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan, in compliance with a central government ban on the intake and housing of elephants. "Due to central government regulations, we cannot bring another elephant here," confirmed an official from the administration. As part of the expansion plans, the enclosure that housed Anarkali will be repurposed for another species.

Rescued from a circus in 1977, Anarkali arrived at the Byculla at the age of 12 along with several other elephants, including her long-time companion, Laxmi. The duo quickly got close, drawing countless visitors and schoolchildren eager to see their playful interactions. Anarkali and Laxmi were once used for joyrides until protests by animal activists led to the practice being discontinued in 1992. "Anarkali remained very playful and responsive to her mahout and caretakers. She continued to be one of the crowd-pullers right up until her demise," said Abhishek Satam, biologist and education officer.

According to officials, Anarkali died of old age complications. Sources told PTI that the post-mortem report revealed a stomach tumour, which likely contributed to her declining health. Despite her condition, she maintained a calm demeanour, said her caretakers. Anarkali's passing follows the death of her companion Laxmi in 2020. Laxmi, believed to be around 64, died of a chronic heart failure brought on by old age. Their bond was so strong that Anarkali reportedly mourned deeply after Laxmi's death, refusing food for days.

(With PTI inputs)