Wild jumbos, a threat to tourists too in Ooty

Ooty: Wild jumbos that have strayed into the Maamaram-Kunjapannai sector along the Ooty-Kotagiri-Coimbatore road are posing a serious threat to tourists who take this road in summer. Some of them even risk their lives trying to get close to the jumbos to click photos and selfies.

While quite a few tribal hamlets such as Chemmanarai and Thalamukku are located in the wooded Maamaram slopes along the wooded Ooty - Kotagiri - Coimbatore road, it is said that lack of fodder and water in the foothills of Maamaram slopes, have forced wild elephants to ascend to the upper reaches in search of water and food as the upper reaches of Kotagiri hills have turned verdant after the recent rains there.

For the past couple of days, one could see two wild jumbos moving along the roadside between the Maamaram and Kunjappannai check-post area, which is a virtual threat not only to motorists, but also the check-post staff.

Since, all vehicles from Ooty and Coonoor heading to Mettupalayam and Coimbatore are now being diverted via Kotagiri road in view of the summer season, the volume of traffic too has increased manifold on this road.

What is more distressing is that some tourists, without realizing the danger, try to venture out and go close to the jumbos to click photographs and selfies.

Residents in Kotagiri feel that it is time the foresters act fast and chalk out plans to drive away these stray jumbos to avoid tourist-jumbo conflict in this wooded region.