Padayappa also known as Munnar Padayappa is a wild elephant in Munnar in the Indian state of Kerala, known for its frequent appearances in residential areas.[1][2] Padayappa, who occasionally roams on populated areas and creates traffic blocks on highways, does not harass or become aggressive.[3][4] The elephant's frequent visit to populated areas and cities as opposed to usual wild elephants and its calm nature caused it to attract wider media attention.[5] Padayappa can be easily spotted because of his limp due to an injury on his hind leg and his unusually long tusks. It is named after the character in the 1999 Tamil film Padayappa.[6][7] The elephant is identified by its name Padayappa even in the forest department circles.[8] Padayappa came to the media's notice in 2015, when the elephant discovered a sackful of carrots that the shopkeepers had hidden from it by the riverside. Only after eating all the carrots did it head into the forests without attacking anyone.[9][10] On 5 April 2022, Padayappa jumped in front of a KSRTC bus coming to Munnar. The driver stopped the bus and the elephant checked the bus with its trunk, scratching the window glass with its tusks. The driver sped off in the vehicle when Padayappa moved back a little.[11]
 Padayappa in a tea plantation | |
| Species | Elephas maximus (Asian elephant) |
|---|---|
| Sex | Male |
| Born | unknown |
| Nation from | India |
| Known for | Frequent appearances in residential areas |
| Named after | Padayappa movie |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Kerala: Wild elephant 'Padayappa' terrorizes Munnar residents yet again" Archived 2022-04-07 at the Wayback Machine, "THE TIMES OF INDIA", 06 April 2022
- ^ "Idukki wants wild elephants relocated: Here's why that's unfair to Padayappa and co" Archived 2022-04-13 at the Wayback Machine, "The News Minute", 04 February 2019
- ^ "Munnar’s infamous tusker strikes again; breaks into his favourite shop and devours fruits worth Rs 40,000" Archived 2022-04-15 at the Wayback Machine, "CNBC TV18", 07 April 2022
- ^ "Meet Padayappa, Munnar's Jumbo Resident Who Has Proven That Humans & Animals Can Exist In Peace", India Times, 08 June 2020
- ^ "When ‘Padayappa’ the wild elephant disrupted a football match in Munnar" Archived 2022-04-12 at the Wayback Machine, The Indian Express, 15 February 2018
- ^ "Padayappa roams streets of Munnar during lockdown" Archived 2022-04-08 at the Wayback Machine, "The News Minute", 16 April 2020
- ^ "100 elephants killed in 2 years across south" Archived 2022-04-13 at the Wayback Machine, "Times of India", 13 August 2015
- ^ "Where wild elephants have pet names", The Hindu, 01 November 2016
- ^ "The curious case of elephant Padayappa" Archived 2022-04-13 at the Wayback Machine, The Hindu, 11 January 2015
- ^ "Angered and hurt, Padayappa leaves Munnar" Archived 2022-04-13 at the Wayback Machine, The Hindu, 25 June 2019
- ^ "Wild elephant 'Padayappa' in front of KSRTC bus, driver quickly turns and escapes, "Kerala Kaumudi", 05 April 2022