In pictures: The 10-day hunt to capture a wild elephant

Broken Shankar was captured in Cherambadi on February 12, 2021 and taken to Abhayaranyam Elephant Camp in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve late at night.

Photo: Sathyamoorthy M.

Forest chasers looking for the elephant in the Cherambadi area.
Photo: Sathyamoorthy M.

When the broken Shankar came to Tamil Nadu from Kerala in the Cherambadi forest on February 3, the field workers held a strict vigil to ensure that the elephant did not enter villages.

Photo: Sathyamoorthy M.

The broken tusk Shankar was discovered with his small herd in a dense forest.

Photo: Sathyamoorthy M.

Field chasers and forest officials lead the vet in Cheppantodu.

Photo: Sathyamoorthy M.

A forest veterinarian runs into the forest in which Shankar is said to have been hiding, in Pudupadi.

Photo: Sathyamoorthy M.

A veterinarian who tried to calm the elephant Shankar with an arrow missed the target in Nayakansolai near Cherambadi on February 9, 2021.
Photo: Sathyamoorthy M.

District forest officer Omkar with his team. Despite his best efforts, Shankar fled to the forest on February 10, 2021.
Photo: Sathyamoorthy M.

Additional chief conservator, Anwardeen, gives instructions to field workers after Shankar was fired on February 10, 2021.
Photo: Sathyamoorthy M.

Forest personnel followed Shankar and his herd after it was fired on February 10, 2021 at the Tantea estate near the 10th line in Cherambadi.
Photo: Sathyamoorthy M.

The Kumki elephants Kalim, Sujay, Vijay and Srinivasan were brought from Theppakadu to aid in the operation. Incidentally, Srinivasan was one of the elephants who were closely associated with the Jumbo during its time in the wild before being captured by the Forestry Department in 2016.

Photo: Sathyamoorthy M.

The twins Vijay and Sujai were the leading kumkis in the operation.
Photo: Sathyamoorthy M.

On February 12th, a “machan” was erected on a tree. It was from here that the first arrow was shot at Shankar, the tusk.
Photo: Sathyamoorthy M.

Vijayaragavan (left) from the forest veterinarian and Rajesh Kumar who successfully shot Shankar together with the veterinarian K. Ashokan (not in the picture) who was waiting outside the forest to shoot the jumbo.

Photo: Sathyamoorthy M.

Considered one of the best elephant trackers in India, Kirumaran puts a rope on Shankar’s legs after it was successfully shot and separated from the herd.
Photo: Sathyamoorthy M.

After Shankar successfully tied ropes in his legs, he stood on a steep cliff so that forest personnel had to tie him to a tree and then drag him to a flat spot.

Photo: Sathyamoorthy M.

The Kumki elephants Kalim, Sujay, Vijay and Srinivasan push Shankar into the truck. Bomban and Mudumalai Kumkis were also kept as a backup.

Photo: Sathyamoorthy M.

Shankar is led to the Krall, the elephant protection.
Photo: Sathyamoorthy M.

Large numbers of people gathered to see Shankar set off on his final destination.

Photo: Sathyamoorthy M.

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