electrocuted elephant

Post mortem reports concluded that the 30 year old male elephant did not die of suffocation - after it fell into an elephant proof trench.

It was electrocuted in Nellidurai area in Mettupalayam forest range - early on Sunday morning.

TOI, Chennai   Monday November 27, 2017. 

drones chase wildlife

Coimbatore forest division has seven ranges - Madukkarai, Boluvampatti, Coimbatore, Periyanaickenpalayam, Karamadai, Mettupalayam and Sirumugai.

Man- animal conflicts are commonly reported in all seven.
Forest department tested  a drone for half an hour at Solakkarai, at madukkarai forest range in March 2017.

And on Friday November 24, plans were announced to use camera drones that buzz and chase elephants in Coimbatore forest range.

T O I,    Saturday   November 25, 2017. 

surprising laxity

'The project will be wrapped up in 2019.
Begun in 2011, it has not realised it's objectives', say forest officials.

The officials have not submitted a mid-term annual review on the progress made.
Japan International Cooperation Agency - JICA - may not sponsor the second phase.

No official info is available on this - there is no transparency.
The laxity may result in 600 officials in the ranks of 'foresters' losing their job.

- TOI, Chennai  - November 24, 2017.