The Forest Department officials, on Monday, caught a female elephant at Kerodi near Alur in Hassan district and fixed a radio collar to track its movements. Tamed elephants from Mathigodu elephant camp were involved in the operation.
The Forest Department has launched an operation to radio-collar three elephants that have been roaming in parts of Alur, Belur, Yeslur, Sakleshpur and Arkalgud forest ranges.
K. Harish, Deputy Conservator of Forests, informed the media that the operation would continue up to May 25. On the first day, a female elephant had been radio-collared successfully. The forest guards, members of the rapid response team (RRT) and other staff members have been involved in the operation.
The animal was caught after firing a tranquillizer dart. The staff removed the old radio collar, which was defunct, and fixed a new one. Mr. Harish said the radio-collar would help the staff track the movement of the herd it had been leading. Based on the information collected, the villagers would be alerted so that man-animal conflicts could be minimised.
More than 75 people have died in elephant attacks in Hassan district in the last 10 years.
