Forest officer on scooter scolds wild elephant: It obeys, goes back into the forest!

While the infrastructural developments in India have seen an uptick in recent decades, the same developments have hampered the natural habitat of the wildlife residing in dense forests away from the concrete jungle. It is due to this that wild animals, especially elephants, get triggered by even the slightest of human interaction at times. We have seen several examples of elephants attacking motorists coming in their way, however, here is a rare example in which a wild elephant backs off after a ‘confrontation’ with a human.

The YouTube channel of Kerala-based ‘Mathrubhumi News’ uploaded a video, in which we can see a wild elephant backing off a state highway after being scolded by a forest guard. In the video, the forest guard, while being seated on his scooter, is seen scolding the wild elephant, who seemed to be extremely dangerous initially. However, after being confronted by the forest guard, the elephant changes his mind and instead of coming towards the road, he goes back into the dense bushes of the forest.

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The entire ‘interaction’ between the forest guard and the elephant got recorded on a camera, and the video went viral on social media channels. The video even reached the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of the region, who warned the forest guard to not repeat such action. According to DFO, while the forest guard is experienced to handle such situations in such a manner, the general public might repeat the same type of interaction if any elephant tries to come in their way, which can create a possible accident in the future.

Forest guard shares his experience

In the video, we can also see the forest guard sharing his experience, in which he says that he is well-versed in the geography, wildlife and vegetation of the region. He added that he knows all the wild elephants of the region and is well aware of their instincts towards humans. He said that he was aware that the elephant he scolded was a wild and dangerous animal, who could have attacked him if things could have gone for a toss. However, as a backup, the forest guard was prepared to run, if the elephant attacked him.

Due to infrastructural developments, several state highways cross through dense forests, which come in the way of the wildlife residing in those regions. In many cases, these wild animals unknowingly come in the way of motorists, due to which they meet with accidents and lose their lives.

Do not disturb wild animals

Animals can get triggered due to scary noises and sudden movements. It is best to stay away from animals. Always remember that you’re in their territory and the jungle belongs to them. Show patience and park the vehicle on the side of the road to give them space to pass through comfortably.

Even though it is not very common, in the past, elephants and other wild animals have attacked vehicles. They mostly move in herds and can be very dangerous if they sense any kind of danger. It is also very important to not feed wild animals. Feeding them makes them return to the same spot for food and when they do not get it from other motorists, they can turn angry and attack. Also, giving food to the wild animals makes them dependant, which is bad for survival. Always respect the wild animals and do not be playful with them.

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