Legendary kumki of the Anamalai Tiger Reserve Kaleem with its mahout Mani at Kozhikamuthi elephant camp.
| Photo Credit: Wilson Thomas
With 60-year-old Kaleem, the legendary kumki of the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, hanging up his boots on Tuesday after 99 profitable operations, Chinnathambi, a younger crop raider-turned- kumki, is probably going to succeed him as the first amongst equals.
A kumki is a captive educated elephant, utilized in operations to assist seize, calm or herd wild elephants.
Kumki Chinnathambi of the Anamalai Tiger Reserve is engaged in capturing a makhna that strayed into human habitations in Coimbatore not too long ago.
| Photo Credit:
S. Siva Saravanan
Aged 29, Chinnathambi has already carried out two profitable operations to seize a makhna (tuskless male elephant), first from Dharmapuri and later from Coimbatore. “Going by physical features and the ability to grasp and execute commands, Chinnathambi is our first preference,” says Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) subject director S. Ramasubramanian.
Though comparatively younger, Chinnathambi exhibited diligence and obedience throughout the current seize of a makhna from Dharmapuri and the similar elephant from Coimbatore [after it travelled over 100 km from Varagaliyar forests in the ATR where it was released after first capture],” he factors out.
Calm and competent
The rookie has already labored with the veteran. Chinnathambi had his first subject expertise with Kaleem when he was taken to Kannivadi in Dindigul district to chase the wild elephants that stray into villages in April 2022. He was tasked for his first unbiased operation in February this 12 months.
“Chinnathambi is undoubtedly a potential candidate to replace the place left vacant by Kaleem. This young kumki is highly tolerant to present situations as the animal himself was exposed to people, noise and other disturbances before his capture,” says N.S. Manoharan, a retired veterinarian who labored with the Forest Department for 3 a long time.
When the makhna was captured for a second time from Perur close to Coimbatore, the banana subject was closely crowded and noisy. “However, Chinnathambi seemed very calm and completed the task even though he was a rookie. The animal also has ideal physique and tusks for a kumki,” he notes.
Crop raiding background
Apart from the forest personnel, skilled mahouts (elephant handlers) additionally see a possible successor in Chinnathambi, who was himself a crop raider. He was captured from Kannadiputhur close to Udumalpet at the age of 25 in 2019.
Kaleem’s mahout R. Mani has earlier stated that Chinnathambi could possibly be a super substitute when the former retired from the service. Continuous coaching and bonding with the animal have been vital to groom the younger tusker into a trusted kumki, he had stated.
