Chadivayal elephant camp open to visitors from October 16

The Forest Department will permit visitors to Chadivayal elephant camp located near Kovai Courtallam waterfall in Coimbatore district from October 16 (Friday).

According to the Forest Department, it decided to permit visitors to the camp, subject to certain conditions, to spread awareness among the public and students on wildlife conservation. People can visit the elephant camp in two slots — from 8:30 a.m. to 9.30 a.m. and from 4.30 p.m. to 5.30 p.m.

The elephant camp is located in the Boluvampatti forest range of the Coimbatore Forest Division, close to the Forest Department check-post at Chadivayal, where tickets to Kovai Courtallam are issued. The camp is currently sheltering four captive elephants of the Forest Department, namely Muthu, Cauvery, John and Sumangala.

Officials said that visitors can witness the feeding of the camp elephants in similar arrangement as available in Theppakadu elephant camp in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve and Kozhikamuthi elephant camp in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve.

The tentative entry fee for children aged between five and 12 is ₹20 and the fee for persons aged above 12 is ₹30. Entry for children aged below five is free, officials said.