Karnataka Forest Department captures one more tusker in Hassan

Forest Department captures third wild elephant in Belur in Shivamogga district, with the help of tamed elephants and tranquilizer dart.

The Forest Department staff members successfully captured a tusker at Devarakeshavi village in Arehalli hobli of Belur taluk on Thursday, January 18. This is the third wild elephant captured by the department this year.

With the assistance of tamed elephants, the staff tracked the animal and captured it after sedating it with a tranquillizer dart. Finally, the animal was captured in a coffee estate belonging to Puttaswamy Gowda. The captured elephant will be sent to the elephant camp at Dubare in Kodagu district.

The department is conducting the operation in Hassan district to capture trouble-causing elephants. The tusker captured on Thursday was roaming in parts of Belur and Sakaleshpur. It had often damaged houses, according to local people.

Sourabh Kumar, Deputy Conservator of Forests of Hassan division, informed the media that the operation was carried out under the guidance of Subhash K. Malkade, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wild), Dr. Manoj R., APCCF (Elephant Project). The staff members of the Hassan and Sakaleshpur sub-divisions, veterinarians, and members of the rapid response teams were involved in the operation. Tamed elephants Abhimanyu, Sugreeva, Dhananjaya, Prashantha, Bheema, Harsha, Ashwaththama and Mahendra were part of the operation.

The operation to capture the elephants in Hassan was launched in November 2023. It was abandoned on December 4 following the death of Arjuna, the tusker, in a fight with a wild elephant. The operation resumed on January 13.