AGARTALA, June 23 (TIWN): For the first of its kind in Tripura the state forest department under the leadership of Chief Wildlife Warden Dr, A K Gupta had successfully captured one human imprint developed 7 years old with small sharp tusks male wild elephant live using a scientific method.

The elephant was spotted at Molsom village under Killa Police Station. However, the elephant was shifted to the Sephaijala Zoo in presence of State Forest Minister Naresh Jamatia and hence shifted to the pilkhana along with other two captive elephants. The 7 years old developed with human imprint elephant is undergoing training, said Minister Naresh Jamatia on Monday.

The department has now planned to impart basic training and then advanced training by taking the help of experts from the Assam Forest Department. According to the officials it would be later used as an elephant safari at Sepahijala zoo. The elephant along with other two captive elephants can be pressed into the tourists’ services that may earn revenue to the state, said the official.   

Talking to the reporters here at the civil secretariat Jamatia said, “It is a major success of the state forest department with the first of its kind it had successfully captured an elephant.” He said that the male elephant is a loner, away from his original herd, probably to begin a new group on associating with any available female elephant.

For the past 6 months the elephant was spotted straying around the human habitation at Jamouijala and Killa areas.  There have been many  small incidences of human property mainly food crops damaged by the lone elephant on several occasions, besides creating a fear psychosis amongst the people whose normal daily life got affected due to this elephant.

Minister said, “Several attempts had been made to drive away this loner from the human habitation, but it was found summing back again to be in and around the human habitation.” Adding to that Jamatia also said, “It has been noticed that the loner has lost its wild instincts and has developed human imprints.”

The elephant prefers only the agri-crops and vegetables and is unable to feed on the wild natural food meant for elephants, Jamatia told to reporters.

The CWLW Dr. A K Gupta ordered the Director Zoo on June 13 to lead the veterinary doctors, researcher, three mahouts, trained staff on tranquilizers and two captive elephants to site of stray elephant. Gupta also ordered the District Forest Officer (DFO), Gomati to arrange camping of SDFO and his staffs at the site to facilitate the capturing operation after the notification to this effect was issued by the CWLW of Tripura on June 12 this year.