Coimbatore: The Forestry Department has associated in six trained elephants, including Chinna Thambi, from Kozhikamuthi Elephant Camp to prevent forest fires in Aaimalai Tiger Reserve (ATR).
Forest officers have identified a thick bamboo tree, which might trigger a fire due to friction, on the route Ghat Sheggai-TopSlip.
Elephants are used to remove bamboo trees to prevent forest fires.
“Thousands of bamboo trees bloom on the route and begin to dry.
When dry bamboo comes into contact, there is a possibility of friction that will create forest fires.
Therefore, we want to remove dry bamboo and make the path between them to prevent fire spread.
For this, we have been Bringing six trained elephants – Muthu, Chinna Thambi, Selvi, Kavery, Abinaya and Sanjeev – from Kozhikamuthi Elephant Camp.
They have removed dry bamboo from topslip for the past week, “said a forest officer to Ti.
He said it was not easy to clean dry bamboo, because they were adults.
“Elephants work hard to get rid of dry bamboo.
This is one method to prevent forest fires.” The clerk said they would use an elephant for one more week to clean a dry bamboo tree.
“We will also bring elephants to the Mizzombolly forest range.” The Ministry of Forestry, Meanwhile, conducted a fire prevention training program for the forefront staff at the Advanced Wildlife Management Center in Attakatty on Thursday, when Ramachandran firefighters discussed them.
The event also displays a demo on how to extinguish the forest fire.