Odisha gets its first high-tech truck ‘Airabat’ for elephant transport

In a first for Odisha, a state-of-the-art truck named ‘Airabat’ has been introduced for the safe and efficient relocation of elephants in the State. Delivered to Angul Forest Division in Angul district, this specialised vehicle is designed exclusively to handle the complex task of transporting jumbos not only in Angul but across other districts, official sources said on Sunday.

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Unlike earlier trucks, which lacked adequate features for elephant transfer, ‘Airabat’ is fully equipped and a high-tech vehicle to ensure the safety and comfort of the animals. It comes with a dedicated hydraulic lift that makes it easier for elephants to board the vehicle, along with a four-tonne winch, an onboard generator, and a large water tank.

Additionally, CCTV surveillance has been installed to monitor the transportation process and ensure full-time supervision during transit.

The truck has been custom-built keeping in mind the unique requirements of elephant transportation, significantly reducing the risks and logistical challenges faced earlier. Forest officials believe this initiative marks a major step forward in wildlife conservation and human-elephant conflict mitigation efforts in the State.

“The specialised truck is being utilised for elephant transportation. Since jumbos are gigantic animals and the pachyderms require careful transportation during rescue and relocation operations, a specialised truck was highly required by us,” Angul divisional forest officer (DFO), Nitish Kumar, expressed.

“Keeping that in mind, our PCCF Sir, RCCF Sir, Manoj Nair Sir and some other DFOs were consulted. This vehicle was then customised in Jamshedpur (Jharkhand). The high-tech vehicle has several unique features such as a water tank, a suction pump, a thermal scanner, sprinkler system, CCTV surveillance system, air-cushion system etc,” the DFO added.