Post polls, State jumbos to head for MP, Kerala, Goa

18 captive elephants to be translocated

Post polls, Karnataka will embark on an elephantine exercise, involving translocation of 18 captive jumbos as part of plans to create sufficience space for housing captured rogue elephants from Hassan and surround areas. 

Eighteen elephants, from various forest camps, are being shifted to Madhya Pradesh, Kerala and Goa, following these states’ requests and Karnataka Forest Department’s accommodation plans for the captured elephants.

These particular platoon of pachyderms — comprising tuskers and cow elephants, have been handpicked by the respective states, for forest patrolling, elephant safari and capturing wild elephants. 

Mahouts, who have trained them, will travel along for a few days to acclimatise them to the new environs as also train the locals before returning home. 

It is learnt Madhya Pradesh has picked 11, Kerala six and Goa one from camps in Bandipur, Nagarahole, Dubare and Sakerbailu. Elephants are being translocated after clearance from Ministry of Environment and Forest, a official said.

This is not the first time elephants have moved from one state to another. This time, though, it has been necessiated, since space was to be created to house 25 rogue elephants. The elephants have been chosen based on majestic appearance and strength.