Microchip implanted on pachyderm

PUDUCHERRY: Seventeen-year-old Lakshmi will now be tracked wherever she goes.

Forest department officials have implanted a microchip on the elephant of the Manakukla Vinayakar Temple in the city in keeping with the Centre's directive to prevent poaching of pachyderms and to track their movement.

The officials implanted the 1.5 inch microchip on Monday on the left ear of the elephant, donated some 15 years ago to the temple by an industrial concern here.

Another temple elephant Ganesha in Karaikal would also have the microchip implanted soon, an official of the Forest and Wildlife department said.

The animals would be allotted specific numbers to enable officials locate and trace them. All details of the pachyderms, including its age, weight and their health condition would be monitored with the help of the chips, he said.