Two wild elephants entered a residential area near Valparai, Coimbatore district, causing fear among locals. Forest officials later drove the elephants back into the forest.
Coimbatore: Residents of a residential area near Valparai in Coimbatore district were gripped by fear as two wild elephants entered their locality on Tuesday afternoon. The incident highlights the increasing elephant movement in the estate areas surrounding Valparai.
The two wild elephants were initially spotted roaming in the Solaiyar Estate area near Valparai. Around noon, they ventured into the residential area, where they fed on banana trees. The elephants then crossed the main road through a tea estate and entered another residential area before halting in a tea plantation.
Alarmed by the presence of the wild elephants in broad daylight, local residents panicked. Upon receiving information, forest officials from Manampalli quickly arrived at the scene. They successfully drove the two elephants back into the forest area, ensuring the safety of the residents.
The increasing frequency of wild elephants entering residential areas during daytime has left the local population living in fear. Residents have appealed to the forest department to take measures to keep the elephants within the forest boundaries and prevent them from straying into human settlements.
This incident underscores the growing human-elephant conflict in the region and the need for effective strategies to manage wildlife movement while ensuring the safety of local communities.