'Operation Jumbo' to capture wild elephants resumes in Karnataka

Bengaluru: Karnataka Forest Department on Thursday resumed ‘Operation Jumbo’ to capture wild elephants and fix radio collars, an exercise suspended after Mysuru Dasara elephant Arjuna died in a fight with a wild tusker last month, officials said.

Eight elephants would be part of the operation which would be centred in and around Belur Taluk in Hassan district as over 50 wild elephants have entered the Malnad region, wreaking havoc, they said.

“We have resumed the operation to capture wild elephants. Eight of our very good elephants are part of the operation this time", a senior forest department official said.

"We would start our operations in Belur taluk where more than 50 wild elephants had come. These wild jumbos which came around two months ago into the taluk area have to be driven away to the elephant habitat. Last time in November, when we had carried out a week-long operation, all of them had gone back . However, after we suspended the operation, they had come back so we will be driving them back,” he said.

The mahouts who were part of the operation in which Arjuna died have also been included in this team as well. These eight elephants which are part of this ‘Operation Jumbo’, would be led by elephant Abhimanyu, in the forest area and they have already reached the Bikkodu Elephant Camp in Belur taluk.

According to forest officials, the majestic elephant Arjuna, which carried the golden 'howdah’ during the famous Mysuru Dasara procession for years, died in a fight with a wild tusker during a capture operation on December 4 last year. The 64-year-old Arjuna, which served the forest department for over five decades and had participated in many elephant capture operations, died near Yeslur in Sakleshpur taluk of Hassan district.

The elephant capture operation was carried out after a number of human deaths were reported in Hassan and Chikkamagaluru belt. Owing to the pressure from the locals to tame the wild elephants, an operation was launched in Belur taluk on November 24, which was later halted.