Elephant Herd Threat Looms Over Chittoor; Forest Officials on Alert

Tirupati: Chittoor district is on a high alert as a herd of approximately 70 elephants is suspected to be making its way towards the bordering forested areas under Kuppam mandal from Hosur.

The elephants were reported to have roamed near the Hosur border on Sunday night, prompting forest officials to issue a high alert in the border villages of Kuppam.

While reports indicate that the tuskers are heading towards Bannerghatta forest in Karnataka, Andhra forest officials are closely monitoring the situation, expressing concerns about the potential danger posed by the large and unpredictable herd.

Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) C. Chaitanya Kumar Reddy, leading the efforts, revealed that the herd is currently heading towards Bannerghatta but precautions are being taken in case they veer towards AP.

“We received reports from our counterparts in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka that the herd is currently moving towards Bannerghatta. But we are not taking any chances and implementing preventive measures in case they change their route towards AP”, DFO Chaitanya told Deccan Chronicle.

As a precautionary measure, villagers in Kuppam and surrounding areas have been urged to exercise caution and stay indoors during the night. Forest staff is monitoring the movement of the elephants. Precautionary measures include heightened patrolling at the border and the deployment of teams to track the herd's movement.

“Residents of forested villages have been advised to adhere to safety guidelines issued by the forest authorities. People have been advised not to venture out into village boundaries or fields during the night due to the unpredictable behaviour of elephants, which can pose a significant risk to human safety.

The department is making efforts to guide the elephants away from populated areas should they venture into Andhra borders”, the DFO said.

The department urged people in forested villages to report any sightings or unusual behaviour of elephants to the forest department helpline.

It should be noted that the combined Chittoor district serves as a habitat for elephants, which has led to several instances of human-animal conflict resulting in the loss of both human and animal lives.