A 12-year-old wild elephant that had created panic in parts of Siddapur, Hosangadi, and Kamalashile in Udupi district over the past three days was successfully captured by forest officials on Thursday evening. The male elephant, previously radio-collared during a translocation from Hassan to Bhadra Tiger Reserve, had wandered into human settlements after being separated from its herd.
The elephant’s intrusion disrupted daily life—schools and colleges were closed, and local businesses shut down early as a precaution.
A massive rescue mission involving 150 personnel was launched by the Kudremukh Wildlife Division, with support from local forest teams, the Elephant Task Force from Chikkamagaluru, and three trained elephants from the Sakrebail Elephant Camp in Shivamogga.
Using signals from the radio collar, officials tracked the elephant’s movement. By Thursday afternoon, they administered a 1.2 ml tranquilizer, which took effect within 20 minutes, enabling safe capture.
To ensure public safety, authorities closed traffic along the Siddapur-Hosangadi road from 3:30 pm to 7:30 pm. Announcements were made to keep residents informed.
Deputy Conservator of Forests Shivaram M Babu confirmed that six trained elephants, three veterinarians, and multiple support staff executed the high-risk operation. Deputy Commissioner Vidya Kumari K assured that no injuries or property damage occurred. Prohibitory orders were briefly enforced as a precaution.
The elephant has been shifted to the Sakrebail Camp for rehabilitation and monitoring, and officials have been asked to prepare long-term mitigation plans to prevent future human-elephant conflict.
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