Forest department officials and wildlife experts who were worried after wild elephants entered the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) after more than 50 years are relieved as the pachyderms have left the area and migrated back to Gadchiroli. Had the elephants stayed longer, it could have increased the chances of negative human-elephant interactions.

A forest department official said, “When the two elephants entered, we were concerned as TATR has high activity of safari vehicles and this increases the chances of negative interactions between the elephants and humans. We are happy that the elephants have gone back to Gadchiroli.”

The male tusker, ME3, entered TATR on May 31, after which the forest department officials continuously monitored the two elephants to prevent any negative human-elephant interaction. ME3 was first spotted near a village close to the Saoli Range of TATR in Chandrapur district. Wildlife conservationist Sagnik Sengupta, co-founder of the NGO Stripes and Green Earth Foundation (SAGE), told mid-day that ME3 is a wanderer and considering his movement pattern in the last year, he didn’t stay long in any area other than his home turf.