[ Bengia Ajum ]
KAYING, 4 Oct: A musth elephant that had wreaked havoc in Pagak and Paksing villages in Siang district was successfully tranquilized and captured on the evening of 27 September, following a high-risk, two-day operation led by a team of forest officials, including trained wildlife veterinarian Dr Sorang Tadap.
The rescue operation was far from easy and involved two days of tense chase, with wildlife officials putting their own lives at risk.
The rogue elephant, reportedly in full musth condition -a highly aggressive and hormonally charged state in bull elephants – had caused widespread damage in the region. The animal destroyed multiple properties, including paddy fields, two Bolero pickups, two motorbikes, two scooters, and even a road roller. It also seriously injured one person, damaged several thatched houses, and left Paksing village completely cut off due to prevailing fear among the residents.
The incident came to light when Karma Jerang, a local mill owner in Kaying, informed Dr Tadap about the elephant on 23 September. An official order for his intervention was subsequently issued by the zoo director on 24 September. Dr Tadap is the veterinary officer at the Itanagar zoo.
On 26 September, a joint team comprising Dr Tadap, the range forest officer (RFO) from Mechukha, the assistant commissioner of Kaying circle, the mill owner, and local villagers gathered at Pagak village. A dart was prepared, and the team proceeded to locate the elephant in the stretch of forest between Pagak and Paksing.
The elephant was eventually spotted but was found to be in an extremely aggressive state. A local shooter was hired; however, three successive dart attempts missed the target. Tensions escalated as frustrated villagers grew restless due to the failure to sedate the rogue elephant, Dr Tadap informed.
Despite the setbacks, additional darting equipment was arranged through the divisional forest officers (DFOs) of Daporijo and Aalo Forest Divisions, as well as from Dr Jikom Panor, a retired DVO and former wildlife veterinarian based in Pasighat. Finally, on 27 September, the elephant was captured.
“Two additional shooters were hired to tranquilize the elephant. At approximately 6 pm on 27 September, they located and darted the elephant. My team and I followed deep into the jungle, reaching the site after dark – a highly risky move due to limited visibility and potential danger. I administered the second dart myself and successfully sedated the elephant,” shared Dr Tadap.
Dr Tadap expressed gratitude to the DFOs of the Pakke Tiger Reserve (Seijosa), Daporijo, and Aalo divisions, the assistant commissioner of Kaying, retired DVO Dr Jikom Panor, and the local community for their support. “It was a very risky operation, but we did it to save people’s lives and that of the elephant,” he said.
