AP awaiting arrival of kumki elephants from Karnataka
By : Sampat G. Samritan
Update: 2024-12-22 16:40 GMT
Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh government is eagerly waiting for the arrival of kumki elephants from Karnataka to control the wild elephants that have destroyed crops and trampled to death people in Parvathipuram Manyam, Chittoor, Tirupati and Annamaiah districts. The human death toll is over 30 in the last 10 years.
Both AP and Karnataka governments have entered into a deal under which the Karnataka government will send kumki elephants to AP in a phased manner. Ahead of that, AP forest officials from rank of DFO to mahouts and kavadis have undergone training on how to handle the wild elephants using the kumki elephants.
To start with, the kumkis are expected to be stationed at elephant camps in Gutchmi of Parvathipuram Manyam district and Palamaner in Chittoor district. Based on the need, the kumkis will be moved to other districts in trucks.
Parvathipuram Manyam district has two herds of wild elephants, one with seven and other with 11 elephants each. There is no male elephant among them. There are plans to translocate them into Nagarjuna Sagar Tiger Reserve.
Parvathipuram Manyam DFO G.A.P Prasuna said, “These herds are moving towards farm lands to feed and attacking people who come in their way. They need to be controlled by using kumki elephants,” she stated
AP government has recently enhanced the compensation for loss of human lives in elephant attacks from ₹5 lakh to ₹10 lakh.
There are nearly 123 elephants as per the 2019 census in Chittoor district. These have killed 28 persons in the last 10 years.
Chittoor DFO S. Bharani said, “In the recent training, we got exposure to over 100 years of evolving experience of trainers in Karnataka in dealing with kumki elephants. Our mahouts, who hesitated to go near the kumki elephants in the beginning of the training session, have learnt to climb and control them.”
In addition, the AP mahouts have learnt how to handle wild elephants using the kumkis.
Additional principal chief conservator of forests Shantipriya Pande said, “A batch of AP foresters, mahouts and kavadis has completed its training recently. We are expecting the kumki elephants to arrive in AP soon from Karnataka.”
To start with, the kumkis are expected to be stationed at elephant camps in Gutchmi of Parvathipuram Manyam district and Palamaner in Chittoor district. Based on the need, the kumkis will be moved to other districts in trucks.
Parvathipuram Manyam district has two herds of wild elephants, one with seven and other with 11 elephants each. There is no male elephant among them. There are plans to translocate them into Nagarjuna Sagar Tiger Reserve.
Parvathipuram Manyam DFO G.A.P Prasuna said, “These herds are moving towards farm lands to feed and attacking people who come in their way. They need to be controlled by using kumki elephants,” she stated
AP government has recently enhanced the compensation for loss of human lives in elephant attacks from ₹5 lakh to ₹10 lakh.
There are nearly 123 elephants as per the 2019 census in Chittoor district. These have killed 28 persons in the last 10 years.
Chittoor DFO S. Bharani said, “In the recent training, we got exposure to over 100 years of evolving experience of trainers in Karnataka in dealing with kumki elephants. Our mahouts, who hesitated to go near the kumki elephants in the beginning of the training session, have learnt to climb and control them.”
In addition, the AP mahouts have learnt how to handle wild elephants using the kumkis.
Additional principal chief conservator of forests Shantipriya Pande said, “A batch of AP foresters, mahouts and kavadis has completed its training recently. We are expecting the kumki elephants to arrive in AP soon from Karnataka.”