Karnataka: Wild elephant captured after days of crop raids

Davanagere: After days of fear and crop damage in several villages, the Forest Department on Thursday, July 16, successfully captured a wild elephant that had been straying into agricultural fields in Channagiri taluk of Davanagere district. The operation was carried out in the Ubrani forest region, bringing relief to farmers who had been demanding immediate action.

The elephant had been frequently sighted in and around Ganduganahankalu village under Ubrani hobli over the past several days. It repeatedly entered farmlands, damaging arecanut, coconut and other standing crops, causing substantial losses to cultivators.

Alarmed by the increasing incidents, local residents and farmers had urged the Forest Department to capture the animal before it posed a greater threat to life and property.

Forest Department launches special operation

Responding to the situation, forest officials launched a special operation with the support of six trained kumki elephants brought from the Sakrebailu Elephant Camp in Shivamogga district. A team of experienced veterinarians and forest personnel monitored the elephant’s movement before safely tranquillising and capturing it.

Following the successful operation, the elephant was shifted to a wildlife sanctuary, where it will be released into a suitable forest habitat. Officials said the elephant is believed to have wandered into the area through the forest corridors connected to the Bhadra backwaters.

The capture has brought considerable relief to farmers across several villages in Ubrani hobli, who had been living in constant fear of fresh crop damage. Forest officials said they will continue monitoring elephant movement in the region to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Human elephant conflict in Karnataka

Channagiri MLA Shivaganga Basavaraj visited the site of the operation and gathered information from forest officials about the capture and measures being taken to prevent future human-wildlife conflict.

The incident once again highlights the growing challenge of human-elephant conflict in Karnataka, where shrinking forest habitats and changing movement patterns are increasingly bringing wild elephants into agricultural areas, resulting in crop losses and safety concerns for rural communities.