Kundapur: Lone wild elephant captured after three-day operation in Siddapura

Kundapur: Lone wild elephant captured after three-day operation in Siddapura

Mangalore Today News Network

Kundapur, June 6, 2025: A wild elephant that had been causing panic in forest-border villages around Siddapura for the past three days was finally captured on Thursday evening, following an extensive and coordinated operation involving six trained kumki elephants and a 150-member forest team.

The elephant had strayed into Siddapura town and nearby areas, disrupting daily life and prompting authorities to declare school and anganwadi holidays. Shops and businesses were instructed to close by 6:30 pm each evening as a safety measure.

 

 

 

The operation to track and capture the elephant involved personnel from the Chikkamagaluru Elephant Task Force, Kudremukh and Shivamogga wildlife divisions, and forest officials from Kundapur, Siddapura, Amasbailu, and Shankaranarayana ranges.

On Thursday afternoon, officials intensified efforts by tracking the elephant using a radio collar it had been fitted with earlier. At 5:30 pm, veterinarians—Dr. Kallappa from Sakrebailu, Dr. Yashaswi from Mangaluru, and Dr. Ramesh from Nagarahole—administered a 1.2 ml tranquilizer dose.

Although the elephant was expected to go down within 10 minutes, it walked nearly 1.5 km deeper into the forest before collapsing near Urapalu in Hennabailu. Trained kumki elephants—Bheema from Nagarahole, and Bahaddur, Balachandra, and Somanna from Sakrebailu—played a key role in the operation, assisting mahouts, forest guards, and veterinarians in securing the animal safely.

The captured elephant had previously been translocated to Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary from Hassan after it exhibited rogue behavior. However, it failed to integrate with a herd, escaped, and trekked over 150 km through the Lakkavalli forest, entering Siddapura via Balebare Ghat on the night of June 3.

Despite repeated attempts by four ETF teams, the elephant avoided capture for two days. It was finally tranquilized and captured in Urapalu forest on Thursday.

Authorities temporarily cut electricity in parts of Siddapura and used autos fitted with loudspeakers to alert the public. The Siddapura–Hosangadi state highway was closed from 3:30 pm to 7:30 pm to ensure public safety.

Udupi Deputy Commissioner Dr. K Vidyakumari confirmed, “The elephant was captured successfully without harm to the public. Preventive measures ensured safety throughout the operation.”

Assistant Conservator of Forests Shivaram Babu of the Kudremukh division added, “The operation succeeded due to the coordination of 150 personnel, three veterinarians, and six kumki elephants. The elephant has now been safely relocated to Sakrebailu elephant camp.”

Schools, colleges, and anganwadis in Siddapura, Hosangadi, Yedamoge, and Kamalashile—which remained shut for two days—will reopen from June 6.