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Video Of Baby Elephant Holding Wine Bottle With Its Trunk In Madumalai Forest Goes Viral, Environmentalists Raise Concern

Environmentalists have urged the Forest Department to take steps to prevent littering in the forest.

Madumalai forest is home to several wild animals including elephants, leopards, bears, deer and tigers
Screen grab of a video in which a baby elephant can be seen trying to feed from an empty wine bottle (ETV Bharat)
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By ETV Bharat English Team

Published : Jan 22, 2025, 12:58 PM IST

Nilgiris: Madumalai forest is home to several wild animals including elephants, leopards, bears, deer and tigers. While tourists visit the forest in large numbers, few ensure the nature in it is preserved.

A recent video of a baby elephant picking up an empty liquor bottle with its trunk while trying to consume the contents, which has gone viral on social media, has raised questions on whether it is not the responsibility of people to preserve nature. The baby elephant is seen with its mother when it picks up the wine bottle and tried to empty its contents. The baby elephant's act was recorded by a tourist on his camera and the video has since gone viral.

The video has raised concerns among environmentalists who have urged the Forest Department to take steps to ensure plastic and glass bottles are not thrown in the open by tourists in the forest. Littering of waste in the forest puts wild animals in great danger. This apart, judicial teams periodically conduct inspections in the Mudumalai forest area to remove encroachments on the elephant route.

In December last year, the Supreme Court had said its 2020 verdict ordering owners of private properties and resorts to vacate the lands falling in the elephant corridor in the Nilgiris had attained finality. The top court order underscored its commitment to safeguarding wildlife habitats while addressing objections raised by affected landowners. However, a bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar allowed the Madras High Court to examine whether an inquiry committee, appointed by the top court, exceeded its scope in addressing objections related to land demarcation and acquisition.

The three-member committee was set up to decide the objections of the private landowners against the decision of the Nilgiris district collector to earmark land for the elephant corridor under an order of the Tamil Nadu government.

Also Read

Elephant Pongal Celebrated With Pomp At Theppakadu Elephant Camp In Madumalai Tiger Reserve

2020 SC Verdict On Elephant Corridor Attains Finality: CJI Sanjiv Khanna

Nilgiris: Madumalai forest is home to several wild animals including elephants, leopards, bears, deer and tigers. While tourists visit the forest in large numbers, few ensure the nature in it is preserved.

A recent video of a baby elephant picking up an empty liquor bottle with its trunk while trying to consume the contents, which has gone viral on social media, has raised questions on whether it is not the responsibility of people to preserve nature. The baby elephant is seen with its mother when it picks up the wine bottle and tried to empty its contents. The baby elephant's act was recorded by a tourist on his camera and the video has since gone viral.

The video has raised concerns among environmentalists who have urged the Forest Department to take steps to ensure plastic and glass bottles are not thrown in the open by tourists in the forest. Littering of waste in the forest puts wild animals in great danger. This apart, judicial teams periodically conduct inspections in the Mudumalai forest area to remove encroachments on the elephant route.

In December last year, the Supreme Court had said its 2020 verdict ordering owners of private properties and resorts to vacate the lands falling in the elephant corridor in the Nilgiris had attained finality. The top court order underscored its commitment to safeguarding wildlife habitats while addressing objections raised by affected landowners. However, a bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar allowed the Madras High Court to examine whether an inquiry committee, appointed by the top court, exceeded its scope in addressing objections related to land demarcation and acquisition.

The three-member committee was set up to decide the objections of the private landowners against the decision of the Nilgiris district collector to earmark land for the elephant corridor under an order of the Tamil Nadu government.

Also Read

Elephant Pongal Celebrated With Pomp At Theppakadu Elephant Camp In Madumalai Tiger Reserve

2020 SC Verdict On Elephant Corridor Attains Finality: CJI Sanjiv Khanna

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