CHITWAN: A new wild elephant has begun appearing in the Sauraha area of Chitwan National Park (CNP). The elephant, estimated to be around 18 to 19 years old, has been seen in the area for about two weeks.
According to Prabin Poudel, assistant conservation officer at the park, the elephant has been staying in the Sauraha buffer zone. He said the elephant recently approached the elephant breeding center but was chased away by other wild elephants present there.
Poudel said the animal is now moving around areas where elephants belonging to the park and the National Trust for Nature Conservation are kept. So far, it has not entered human settlements or caused any damage.
According to Poudel, young male elephants are sometimes separated from their herds and become solitary. Since elephant herds are led by females, troublesome young males may be driven away by the herd leader, he said, citing findings from previous studies.
The elephant is currently spending most of its time roaming in the central area of Sauraha and occasionally reaches the elephant enclosure in search of female elephants.
Chitwan National Park already has several solitary wild elephants, including Dhrube, Govinde, and Ronaldo. In the past, elephants such as Romeo, Nana Patekar, and Makuna were also known to roam the park. Among them, Makuna was killed after attempting to attack people and being shot in self-defense, according to park officials.
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