A tusker died during an elephant-capture operation at Mekanagadde village in Mudigere taluk of Chikkamagaluru district on Saturday night, raising doubts if negligence of officials caused the animal’s death.
The Forest Department has been conducting the operation in Mudigere and Chikkamagaluru taluks for the past few days to capture and translocate trouble-causing wild elephants.
Officials identified the tusker and veterinarians fired the tranquiliser dart to sedate the animal. However, by the time they could capture the animal and carry it, the elephant died. Besides senior officials of the department, veterinarians Mujeeb, Pradeep, and Vishakh were involved in the operation.
The reason for the death is yet to be confirmed. Officials within the department expressed shock over the elephant’s death. As per the standard operating procedure to capture an elephant, the animal should not be sedated after sunset. However in this case, it is said that the tusker was sedated late in the night. By the time the team could trace the animal and reach its place, it was late.
A few have raised doubts if the dosage of the tranquiliser was heavy. Normally, veterinarians decide the dosage analysing the weight of the animal. To arrive at an approximate weight, normally, the animal’s footprints are observed. It is said that the team failed to fix the right dosage of the tranquiliser.
The Forest Department took up the operation to capture two tuskers following the death of two persons last month. Officials had noticed the movement of 34 elephants in the forests of Chikkamagaluru sub-division.
The forest cover was sufficient to accommodate only 15 to 18 elephants. Considering the ground situation, PCCF (Wildlife) Subhash K. Malkhere, on November 16 gave clearance to capture two tuskers and relocate them with radio-collars to the Bhadra Tiger Reserve.
The PCCF had directed officers of Chikkamagaluru Circle to ensure the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 was not violated while capturing the elephants.
