Sun May 18 15:10:15 UTC 2025: **News Article:**

**Elephants at Risk: Coimbatore Dump Site Threatens Wildlife**

**COIMBATORE, India – May 18, 2025:** A garbage dump at the base of the Marudhamalai foothills in Coimbatore is posing a serious threat to elephants, according to local nature enthusiasts. The area serves as a critical transit path for the animals, connecting the Boluvampatti and Thadagam Valleys, important elephant habitats. Activists are demanding the area be declared a “no-dumping zone” and are urging restrictions on construction near forest boundaries.

Their calls for action come after a recent video surfaced showing a sick female elephant behind Bharathiar University, believed to be suffering from consuming waste dumped on the Marudhamalai hills. Ingesting plastic bags and sharp objects found in the garbage can cause severe health problems for the animals.

A senior Forest Department officer confirmed the elephant in the video was indeed ill. Wildlife biologists explained that elephants are drawn to the food waste due to their strong sense of smell, often consuming the plastic bags that contain it. The salt content in human food also makes the waste addictive for elephants.

The Somayampalayam panchayat dump yard is the largest waste site bordering the elephant transit path. While activists have been advocating for its closure for years, dumping continues. P. Shanmugasundaram of the Coimbatore Wildlife Conservation Trust emphasized the urgency of closing the dump yard, even before the panchayat merges with the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation.

District Forest Officer N. Jayaraj stated that the Forest Department has raised concerns about the site. Authorities are reportedly planning to move waste disposal to another location within the city soon.

**Summary of Text:**

The provided text is a news article from “The Hindu” about the danger posed to elephants by a waste dump located at the Marudhamalai foothills in Coimbatore, India. The dump is on a crucial transit route for elephants and contains plastic and other harmful materials that the animals ingest. Activists are calling for the area to be designated a “no-dumping zone” and for the dump to be closed. The Forest Department has acknowledged the issue and is reportedly working on relocating the waste disposal site.

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