Watch: Elephant struggles to move past onlookers, IAS officer calls out selfie obsession

The video of the elephant struggling to move into the wilderness after crossing the road was taken in Kerala’s Munnar.

Viral elephant videos, elephant struggles to cross road in Munnar Kerala, IAS officer Supriya Sahu, IAS Supriya Sahu tweets, wildlife in India viral tweets, indian express

IAS officer Supriya Sahu has shared a video that showed an elephant struggling to move past a road as a crowd of onlookers watched it from a short distance. In the video, people are seen taking the elephant’s photos and trying to venture closer to it. A man on the scooter, identified as a forest guard, is also seen standing close to the elephant.

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Sahu, the Additional Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu government’s forest department, while sharing the video, wrote on Sunday, “No shortage of hair brained people who just wish to risk their life for a selfie with a wild elephant.’chakka komban” the #elephant from Munnar,Kerala is gracious enough to pardon their foolishness as a dedicated forest watcher is closely guarding him to ensure his safe passage”.

No shortage of hair brained people who just wish to risk their life for a selfie with a wild elephant.’chakka komban” the #elephant from Munnar,Kerala is gracious enough to pardon their foolishness as a dedicated forest watcher is closely guarding him to ensure his safe passage pic.twitter.com/VcIAGCXCY0

— Supriya Sahu IAS (@supriyasahuias) October 30, 2022

This is to clarify that the guy on the scooter is a dedicated forest watcher of the Devikulam range who is closely guarding the elephant. Its the photo crazy onlookers who are always a problem

— Supriya Sahu IAS (@supriyasahuias) October 30, 2022

Please note also the big problem of road widening in elephant terrain, with kilometres of steep-slope-cuts or concrete retaining walls being ‘developed’/added every year that makes even large adults like this #elephant struggle to climb and cross. Even worse for calves.

— T. R. Shankar Raman (@mizoraman) October 30, 2022

Not only foolishness Ma’am. Total indiscipline, utter disregard to others’pain or agony , indifferent attitude even during crisis and above all complete madness in today’s generation due to misuse of smart phone infiltration into human life.

— C Ganesh (@cGanesh7) October 31, 2022

I mistook that scooterwala as the selfie guy. By your next tweet it was clear he is the protector. Hail that Forest Guard risking own life to save human and also the Majestic Komban aanai.

— ஸ்ரீதர் ராஜசேகர் (@dittuss) October 30, 2022

Good job👍🏼 Forest Watchers

— Rajendra Patri (@PatriRajendra) October 30, 2022

Komban! The gracious gentleman 👌😍

— Jayasankaran (@Jayasankaran17) October 30, 2022

Commenting on the video, a Twitter user wrote, “Even the forest guard is standing too close & that’s irritating the elephant. He could’ve guarded from a bit far too.”

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Another person commented, “Please note also the big problem of road widening in elephant terrain, with kilometres of steep-slope-cuts or concrete retaining walls being ‘developed’/added every year that makes even large adults like this #elephant struggle to climb and cross. Even worse for calves.”

The construction of roads across forested areas has led to frequent encounters between wildlife and humans. These encounters often turn ugly when people react aggressively toward wild animals. Experts say wild animals should be left undisturbed and one should not engage with them in any way as they can act unpredictably in their defence.

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