Arikomban

Arikomban (transl. Rice Tusker) (born c. 1986/1987) is a rogue Indian elephant in Kerala, India.[1] The elephant is named for his raids on local shops for rice and causing massive damage in the Chinnakanal area of Munnar and is reported to have killed seven people. The name Arikomban is a combination of the Malayalam words "Ari," which means rice, and "Komban," which means tusker.[2]

Arikomban
SpeciesElephas maximus (Asian elephant)
SexMale
Born1986/1987
Kerala, India
Nation fromIndia

Arikomban is estimated to be born in the late 1980s. He was initially known as Chinnakomban.[3] The elephant started violence in the region in the early 2010s.[4] Arikomban's practice involves breaking into ration shops, home kitchens and grocery stores and eating the rice.[5] A native's ration shop in Panniyar Estate was vandalized nine times in one year by Arikomban.[6] Since 2005, more than 75 buildings have been destroyed by the elephant.[7] On 29 April 2023, after a massive debate and a legal battle between the Kerala government and animal lovers, the Kerala wildlife department successfully tranquillised and captured Arikomban from Chinnakanal and released into Periyar National Park.[8]

Mission Arikomban

The Mission Arikombon proposed by Kerala government in March 2023 initially endured controversy, including animal rights activists opposing the Kerala forest department's move to capture and tame Kumuki elephants at the Kodanad Elephant Center in Ernakulam district. They petitioned the Kerala High Court, which after hearing the petition stopped the department from the move.[9] To investigate the matter, the court appointed an expert committee. The committee recommended moving the elephant to a wilderness region without any possibility of human-human conflict. The Parambikulam Tiger Reserve was the place the committee had advised moving Arikomban. Protests quickly broke out in the Parambikulam neighbourhood as locals vehemently opposed the decision.[10] The Kerala government was then instructed by the High Court to release it in a location of its choosing while keeping the location a mystery. The court then instructed the forest department to follow the elephant, tranquillize it, and then fasten a radio collar around its neck to monitor its activities.[11]

The government subsequently launched a big operation and started looking for alternate areas to relocate the elephant.[12][13] Arun Zachariah, a wildlife veterinarian, was in charge of the mission. 150 people from the police, health, and motor vehicles departments as well as the rescue services assisted in the mission. A tranquillized Arikomban was herded into a truck using four kumki elephants and sent to the Periyar Tiger Reserve on 29 April 2023 following a two-day operation.[14]

A Malayalam feature film depicting the life of Arikomban is under development.[15]

See also

References
  1. "Rogue elephant Arikomban darted with tranquillisers in Kerala's Idukki". The Indian Express. 29 April 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  2. "Arikomban: 'Killer' Indian elephant relocated to tiger reserve". BBC News. 1 May 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  3. "Arikomban went from orphaned calf to troublemaker - The New Indian Express". www.newindianexpress.com. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  4. "'Arikomban', Kerala's Rice-Eating Rogue Elephant Relocated Amidst Row: The Story So Far". TimesNow. 1 May 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  5. "Chasing Arikomban: Why is Kerala looking for a rogue wild elephant since 2018". India Today. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  6. "How rogue tusker Arikomban was finally captured". The Indian Express. 29 April 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  7. "ഇതാണ് അരിക്കൊമ്പൻ". Newspaper. 29 April 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  8. "Kerala's Rogue Elephant Tranqualised, Shifted To Periyar Tiger Reserve". NDTV.com. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  9. PTI (29 April 2023). "Mission 'Arikomban' successful; to be shifted to an undisclosed location". ThePrint. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  10. "11 teams and fake grocery shops: Kerala forest department prepares to tame rogue elephant Arikomban". cnbctv18.com. 23 March 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  11. "Forest officials in Kerala on a mission to capture Arikomban, the rice eating elephant". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  12. "'Arikomban' puts Kerala government in a catch-22 situation". Deccan Herald. 12 April 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  13. "Arikomban: 'Killer' Indian elephant relocated to tiger reserve". BBC News. BBC. 1 May 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  14. "Kerala: Mission 'Arikomban' successful, rice-eating tusker being shifted to Periyar Tiger Reserve - The Week". www.theweek.in. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  15. "Coming soon! A biopic on wild tusker Arikomban". OnManorama. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
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