Injured tusker rescued from disused well near Kothamangalam

An injured wild tooth, trapped in a disused well inside a private property in Ernakulam’s Koovappara residential area in Kuttampuzha panchayat near Kothamangalam, was rescued on Tuesday and released into the forest despite strong public protest against releasing the animal back into the forest.

The elephant, whose trunk was partially broken and frequently entered the area, fell into the well at around 05:00 in the morning on Tuesday, July 7, 2026. Forest department sources said the tusker was being closely monitored by the authorities. A senior official said that the injury to the animal’s tooth was also healing and did not pose a problem.

The rescue operations, led by Malayattoor District Forest Officer, were postponed after residents insisted that the rescued animal be transported and treated to the elephant training center in Kodanad instead of being released into the wild. They argued that the injured tooth would not be able to find food on its own and would inevitably return to residential areas.

Kuttampuzha panchayat president Mary Kuriakose said, “The elephant had been roaming the area for a long time, damaging crops and posing a threat to people’s safety. There are other herds of elephants in the area. Residents also want an additional unit from the Forest emergency response team to be sent here.”

Reports suggested that the elephant’s trunk was injured before it fell. Local residents are not convinced by Forest officials’ assurance to erect fencing along forest edges to keep wildlife out. “The forest boundary extends for several kilometers. It is not practical to fence the entire area. Moreover, even when fencing is erected, existing fences are often damaged due to events such as falling trees and remain unrepaired,” said a resident.

People fear they could be held responsible if the elephant returns to populated areas and aggravates its injuries.