The government has said the recent elephant deaths have prompted a reassessment of the current procedures. This file photo shows a wild elephant being captured near Thondamuthur in Coimbatore district in October this year.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The Tamil Nadu government has formed a high-level expert committeeto develop a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the capture, translocation, release, and post-release monitoring of wild elephants and other wildlife species.
The decision follows concerns raised over the death of two translocated elephants in recent months that underscored the need for a scientific and detailed review of the current protocols.
In an official release, the government said it remains committed to scientific wildlife conservation, humane management of wild animals, and ensuring public safety, noting that translocation is carried out only for conflict mitigation or the protection of human life.
The government said the recent elephant deaths, which are still under investigation, prompted a reassessment of the procedures. In response, a State-level expert committee has been constituted. It is made up of senior Forest Department officers, wildlife veterinarians, and academic experts.
The committee comprises A. Udhayan, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Director of the Advanced Institute for Wildlife Conservation (AIWC), as Chairperson; Anurag Mishra, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Special Secretary; N. Vengatesh Prabhu, District Forest Officer, Gudalur Division; K. Kalaivanan, Forest Veterinary Officer at the Srivilliputhur Megamalai Tiger Reserve; Rajesh, Forest Veterinary Assistant Surgeon at the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve; and N. Baskaran, Assistant Professor at A.V.C. College, Mayiladuthurai.
The committee has also been authorised to co-opt additional experts, including behavioural ecologists and Geographic Information System (GIS) specialists, if necessary.
The committee has been tasked with reviewing the recent death of translocated elephants, evaluating the current protocols in line with national and international scientific guidelines, and identifying areas that require strengthening.
It will also formulate a detailed and implementable SOP governing all aspects of wildlife translocation, especially that of elephants, to produce a framework that could serve as a model at the national level. The government has set a two-month deadline for the committee to submit its report and draft SOP.
Published – December 08, 2025 06:37 pm IST
