After traversing for over 100 km in the last three days in Coimbatore city and the suburbs, the herd of three wild ‘bachelor’ elephants that had strayed out of Periyanaickenpalayam Range on Thursday (December 11, 2025) moved into Karamadai Forest Range on Saturday (December 13, 2025), much to the relief of a large contingent of forest staff on trail.
The elephants that had moved into Keeranatham in the city limits on Thursday were last seen getting close to a hillock at Kurunthamalai after resting at an eucalyptus plantation in Kakkapalayam near Annur for most part of Friday (December 12, 2025).
The Forest Department’s expectation that the elephants could be diverted from Keeranatham to Periyanaickenpalayam Forest Range did not fructify as the animals changed direction towards Annur.
Supported by the Electricity and Police Departments through switching off the power supply along the return path of the elephants and halting vehicular traffic on the roads at the time of crossing, the Forest Department regulated the movement of the animals.
Since chasing the animals would be counterproductive, the aerial distance closer to the forest was factored in for regulating their movement, Forest Department officials said.
