<p>Chamarajanagar: Gajendra, a 63-year-old jumbo that participated in the Mysuru Dasara festival for more than 15 times, was shifted from Boodhipadaga elephant camp in Chamarajanagar taluk to Mathigodu elephant camp in Kodagu district, as per the directions of Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre.</p><p>The employees at Boodhipadaga camp bid farewell to Gajendra by performing a puja. Gajendra is everyone's favourite for his graceful physique, majestic walk and long tusks. He was the centre of attraction at K Gudi for his gentle nature.</p><p>On March 18, 2015, Gajendra got aggressive and killed another elephant Srirama and a mahout Ganapathi at K Gudi camp under BRT limits. After this incident, Gajendra was not allowed to participate in the Dasara festival.</p><p>Since then, Gajendra has been living alone at K Gudi elephant camp. In November 2024, he was shifted from K Gudi to Boodhipadaga elephant camp, where the Forest department planned to start a full-fledged elephant camp. As it did not take off, Gajendra was left alone.</p><p>Animal lovers had recently launched the 'Save Gajendra' campaign on social media platforms. They also wrote a letter to the Forest Minister explaining that elephants live in groups but Gajendra was left alone at Boodhipadaga. It cannot be left into the forest, as it has lost its capacity to fight with other jumbos. Hence, it should be shifted to a safe elephant camp, they urged. On March 26, Khandre directed the officials to shift Gajendra.</p><p>BRT Deputy Conservator of Forest Sripathi said that Gajendra has been shifted to Mathigodu elephant camp as per the directions of the Forest Minister. Gajendra was healthy and was not under any kind of depression, he said.</p>
<p>Chamarajanagar: Gajendra, a 63-year-old jumbo that participated in the Mysuru Dasara festival for more than 15 times, was shifted from Boodhipadaga elephant camp in Chamarajanagar taluk to Mathigodu elephant camp in Kodagu district, as per the directions of Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre.</p><p>The employees at Boodhipadaga camp bid farewell to Gajendra by performing a puja. Gajendra is everyone's favourite for his graceful physique, majestic walk and long tusks. He was the centre of attraction at K Gudi for his gentle nature.</p><p>On March 18, 2015, Gajendra got aggressive and killed another elephant Srirama and a mahout Ganapathi at K Gudi camp under BRT limits. After this incident, Gajendra was not allowed to participate in the Dasara festival.</p><p>Since then, Gajendra has been living alone at K Gudi elephant camp. In November 2024, he was shifted from K Gudi to Boodhipadaga elephant camp, where the Forest department planned to start a full-fledged elephant camp. As it did not take off, Gajendra was left alone.</p><p>Animal lovers had recently launched the 'Save Gajendra' campaign on social media platforms. They also wrote a letter to the Forest Minister explaining that elephants live in groups but Gajendra was left alone at Boodhipadaga. It cannot be left into the forest, as it has lost its capacity to fight with other jumbos. Hence, it should be shifted to a safe elephant camp, they urged. On March 26, Khandre directed the officials to shift Gajendra.</p><p>BRT Deputy Conservator of Forest Sripathi said that Gajendra has been shifted to Mathigodu elephant camp as per the directions of the Forest Minister. Gajendra was healthy and was not under any kind of depression, he said.</p>
