Chillikomban, Kerala’s Friendly Wild Elephant, Goes Viral For His Love For Mangoes – News18

In the vast world of social media where we can endlessly scroll through all sorts of interesting content, few grab our attention like the funny and adorable antics of animals. Whether it is heartwarming or downright hilarious, these videos always manage to bring a smile to our faces. Among the latest sensations to grace our screens is a video of an unlikely star, a wild elephant with a never-ending love for mangoes.

Living in the forests of Nelliyampathy in Palakkad, Kerala, this elephant named Chillikomban prefers to tread the forest borders causing no harm or trouble to the neighbouring communities. Instead, he enjoys munching on juicy mangoes and delicious jackfruits.

A recent viral video shared on Instagram captures the charming sight of Chillikomban shaking a mango tree to enjoy its fruit. With each shake, mangoes fall to the ground and Chillikomban eagerly indulges in his favourite treat.

Posted by @airnewsalerts, the caption accompanying the video reads, “#Kerala: In #Nelliampathi, #Palakkad, a wild elephant that has reached the residential area shakes the mango tree and drops mangoes. Known as Chillikomban, this #elephant now regularly comes to the inhabited area to eat mangoes and jackfruit.”

Watch the viral video here:

Chillikomban’s act has caught significant attention online, amassing over 50,000 views.

In a report in Asianet, it is revealed elephants venturing into rural areas are often given double names, mostly based on their preferred foods. One such example is the wild tusker known as Arikomban, roaming around the Chinnakanal and Periya Canal region. Another elephant, named Chakkakompan earned his name for his love for jackfruit. However, it is unclear who came up with the term Chillikompan, according to the report.

The report further stated that it is said that no obstacle, not even the height of mango or jackfruit trees can deter Chillikomban from satisfying its cravings. The local villagers recounted the tales of the elephant’s skilful manoeuvring including his tendency to shake mango trees to drop the fruit and even climb the jackfruit trees to access the ripest fruit.

In the report, the locals stated that the sight of elephants wandering through tea plantations after having their meals brings joy to them. Despite their presence near orange or plantation worker fields, elephants like Chillikomban pose no threat to humans. Surprisingly, Chillikomban doesn’t seem bothered if it can’t find its preferred jackfruits and mangoes. According to the villagers, Chillikomban usually retreats into the forest just as calmly as it appeared.