On Monday (October 19), forest department personnel discovered the carcass of a female elephant near Marikatte Lake in the Eredibba Beat of the Berambadi patrol area in the Maddur range while on patrol.
Missing tusks, tiger killing, stolen cameras spark poaching fears in Bandipur
Bandipur’s forest department faces hard questions over thin patrolling, vacant field posts
The Bandipur Tiger Reserve in Chamarajanagar district of Karnataka has now become the centre of a series of wildlife incidents.
On Monday (October 19), the carcass of another wild elephant was found in the Maddur forest range of the national park. This comes on the heels of a tiger that died in agony after being caught in a snare, and amid lingering concerns over the disappearance of elephant tusks.
The series of incidents in the same range has raised serious questions about the forest department’s patrolling system and wildlife safety.
Another female elephant dies of age-related weakness
On Monday, forest department personnel discovered the carcass of a female elephant near Marikatte Lake in the Eredibba Beat of the Berambadi patrol area in the Maddur range while on patrol. According to preliminary reports from forest officials and veterinarians, the elephant was estimated to be between 55 and 60 years old and had likely died around two months ago.
Also read: Mysuru Dasara love story: Mahendra and Lakshmi, the Kumki pair, steal the show
The elephant’s molars had worn down completely with age, leaving it unable to chew and eat. As a result, it became severely weak and eventually died of starvation, the forest department clarified. However, the fact that it took two months to discover the carcass has raised serious doubts about the effectiveness of the patrolling system.
A series of tragedies in Maddur range
Just a few days ago, the carcass of another elephant was found near Karadikallu Hill. Shockingly, the elephant’s valuable tusks had mysteriously gone missing. It remains unclear whether the elephant was killed for its tusks or whether they were stolen after its death.
Soon afterwards, the death of a tiger estimated to be around two years old after it became trapped in a snare laid by poachers in the Hongalli Beat sent shockwaves through the entire forest management system. The tiger’s carcass was found in an advanced state of decomposition.
Environmentalists raise concerns over systemic failures
Environmental activist Joseph Hoover has expressed serious concern over this series of tragedies. Pointing to fundamental problems within the forest department, he has criticised the acute shortage of field staff and veterinarians required to conduct effective patrols across forest areas.
Also read: Mysuru decks up for grand finale of iconic Dasara celebrations
“The death of a tiger after it got caught in a snare clearly exposes a major lapse in the conservation system. It is impossible to keep a vast forest under constant surveillance with only a limited number of personnel,” Hoover said.
Concerns over camera trap theft
Suspicions have been raised that interstate poaching networks operating out of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, or the notorious Bawariya gang, could be involved in the theft of elephant tusks and tiger poaching.
Warning of this threat, Hoover has expressed serious concern over incidents in which camera traps installed in forests to track wildlife movements are being stolen.
“If these devices fall into the wrong hands, there is a serious risk that precise information about tiger movements could be misused and easily passed on to poachers,” he cautioned.
Youth questioned
Amid these mysterious incidents, the forest department has intensified its investigation and taken a youth named Madesh, from Bhimanabeedu village, into custody near the Kannegala toll plaza for intensive questioning. However, details of the specific allegations under which he was taken into custody are not yet available.
Recognising the gravity of the situation, Forest Minister Ramalinga Reddy has issued firm instructions to officials to conduct a comprehensive investigation into all the incidents and submit a report within a week.
These incidents show that investigations and questioning alone cannot protect wildlife.
Outlining the urgent measures the government needs to take, Hoover stressed, “The increase in tiger numbers alone should not be considered the benchmark of conservation success. Protecting their natural habitats is equally important. Senior forest department officials must leave their air-conditioned offices and visit the field. To address the staff shortage, modern technologies such as thermal cameras and drones must be deployed effectively without delay.”
(This article was originally published in The Federal Karnataka)