Separated from MP camp mate, original herd, Bandhavgarh tusker heads to CG

Bhopal: Days after being captured and released under monitoring, a tusker collared as E-5, moved nearly 20 km away from the rehabilitation zone at Madhya Pradesh’s Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, and was headed towards Chhattisgarh, after apparently showing little interest in blending with a new herd that it was introduced to for social reintegration, forest officials said.The elephant, which was said to be behind deaths of three villagers, in addition to attacks on cattle and dogs in MP’s Shahdol-Anuppur belt, was separated from its original herd of five after the others returned to Chhattisgarh.Officials believe the separation triggered stress and irritable behaviour in the tusker, which wandered through villages and damaged property.During the subsequent rescue operation, E-5 had shown signs of seeking companionship by peacefully interacting twice with Rama, a trained camp elephant from Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve.However, after being released near another herd, the tusker reportedly moved away instead of integrating.Forest teams were continuing round-the-clock monitoring amid concerns the elephant may again stray into civilian areas near the MP-Chhattisgarh border.