The forest department successfully captured the troublesome jumbo on Thursday that had been terrorizing the villages of Karambal, Jalage, and Chapagaon in Khanapur taluk for the past three months. The operation, which lasted two hours, involved four trained elephants from the Sakrebyle elephant camp in Shivamogga. Using the trained elephants, the team was able to approach the jumbo and tranquilize it. The elephant was then moved to an open area, loaded into a truck using a crane, and transported to the Sakrebyle elephant camp.
The elephant had been causing significant damage to sugarcane and paddy crops, affecting hundreds of acres, and farmers had repeatedly complained to the forest officials. The operation involved wildlife experts and trained personnel, including Deputy Conservator of Forests Maria Christu Raja D., Assistant Conservator of Forests Sunita Nimbaragi, and local police.
Nine-Month-Long Operation Leads to Successful Capture of Smuggler Elephant
After nearly nine months of disruption, a troublesome tusker in Khanapur taluk was finally captured and relocated. The forest department, aided by wildlife experts from Shimoga and Nagarhole sanctuaries, four trained elephants, and experienced mahouts, conducted the successful operation on Thursday. The operation, which took six hours, was preceded by eight days of preparation. The elephant was located using a drone camera near Jalge village, four kilometers from the city, and tranquilized by a medical team led by Dr. Suresh.
The tusker, which had separated from a herd of nine elephants, had caused extensive damage to sugarcane and rice crops, leading to significant financial losses for farmers. After the elephant was tranquilized, it was moved to a safe location using trained elephants and crane straps, then lifted into a truck for transport. The operation was led by Chief Conservator of Forests Manjunath Chavan, District Forest Officer Maria Christu Raja D., and Assistant Conservator of Forests Sunita Nimbaragi.
The elephant will be relocated to the Sakrebail Elephant Sanctuary. Despite causing havoc for months, the jumbo had adapted to a settled life in Khanapur taluk and caused the most damage when it ventured into populated areas.
