Kusha, an elephant from Dubare, was finally freed from the jungle camp and released into the wild following intervention by animal rights activists.
The elephant was released at Moolehole in Bandipur Tiger Reserve, a distance of more than 150 km from Dubare, on Thursday evening. The elephant was radio-collared so as to keep a track on its movement and transported by a truck before being released.
Kusha was originally captured from the wild more than five years ago along with a few other elephants which were frequently foraying into human habitation. However, Kusha broke free from the camp during a period of “musth” and did not return for nearly a year. The elephant was recaptured from the wild which was opposed by animal rights activists, including Maneka Gandhi, MP, who called for its release on the grounds that it had not harmed anyone.
Consequent to Ms. Gandhi’s appeal, Minister for Forests Arvind Limbavali ordered the elephant to be freed. Kusha’s release has been welcomed by conservationists who had questioned the need for recapturing an elephant that had escaped from the camp and was roaming free in the forests in the company of other elephants.
