Four elephants get stuck in pond at plantation in Sullia, rescued

PTI, Apr 13, 2023, 3:48 PM IST

Four wild elephants, including two calves, which entered a plantation in search of food, have accidentally slipped and fallen into a pond at Ajjavara village in Sullia taluk of Dakshina Kannada district has been rescued and sent to forest area.

The areca nut plantation belongs to a person named Sanath Rai. Before they fell into the pond on Wednesday night, the elephants had destroyed several trees in the plantation.

Forest officials who arrived at the spot rescued the elephants by bringing them out of the lake. An excavator was used in the operation.

Wild elephants have often caused damage to plantations at many places in Sullia. As human settlements have over the years encroached into the habitats of wild animals, more and more cases of human-animal conflict are being reported in various parts of the country.

Deputy conservator of Forests Y K Dinesh Kumar said the elephants might have entered the pond in the plantation to drink water. They got stuck after getting into the pond and were unable to climb out of it.