133 



ELEPHANT-CAPTURING OPERATIONS ON THE 

 ANAIMALAI HILLS, 



From the '^Forester" January 18%. 



Elephant-capturing operations by the pit-fall system were set in working 

 order in the locality of the forest station at Mountstuart on the Anaimalai 

 Hills by Mr. H. J. Porter, Deputy Conservator of Forests, in the season of 1890. 

 For the past five years, therefore, during each of the working seasons, which 

 commence in June and end in December, elephant-captures have been attempted 

 and it may interest some readers of the Indian Forester to know the results of 

 the operations and the experience gained. Places were selected in the known 

 runs of the elephants, and the pits were dug in groups of three. 



To commence with, about 21 pits were dug in different parts, all 

 however being within a two-mile radius of the Mountstuart Forest station. 

 Since 1890, some 20 pits more have been dug out. The dimensions of th 

 original pits were 12 ft, X 9 ft. with a depth of 10 ft. These are too large, 

 and a pit 10 ft. x 10 ft. x 10 ft. is amply big enough. The sides of the 

 pits were made vertical and not sloping downwards as are the pits in Malabar 

 under Mr. Hadfield ; and some two or three feet of brushwood were placed in 

 the bottom of each to act as bedding to break the fall of the animal. The 

 pits were then covered by means of bamboos placed across theie, and on these 

 were spread grass, leaves, etc. The pits are visited every raosfmng by a 

 Forest guard or watcher deputed for the purpose, and these report to their 

 superior officers whenever a fall takes place. The Range officer in charge or 

 the D.F.O. himself should, however, inspect the pits as often as possible, and 

 at least once in a week, to see that the guard and watcher are not humbug- 

 ging. During the first year, one animal, to which the name of Juno was 

 given, was captured. This subsequently died. In the second year— 1891— 

 four animals were captured, two of which subsequently died, and two of which 

 are now living. In the third year — 1892— two extraordinary falls took place 

 by vsrhich seven animals were captured in five pits, I reported this to the 

 Indian Forester at the time of capture, 1st September, 1892. Out of these 

 seven animals, four are still living. During 1893 two animals were captured. 

 and during the present year — 1894— four animals have been caught, all of 



