Second  shooting incidence within a week.

Yet another wild elephant has been shot dead in the Nagarahole National Park this morning. This unfortunate incidence happened between Chikka Hejjur and Dodda Hejjur in the Veeranahosalli Range of the Nagarhole National Park.

This prime female elephant aged about 15 years, received three bullet wounds in the left hind leg. Another bullet had pierced its stomach. It was also bleeding in the mouth and closer examination revealed that the culprits had removed one of its small tushs.  The post mortem was conducted by Dr. Chittiappa at 10.30 am this morning, in the presence of Range Forest Officer Krishna Kumar, Vanapalakas Venkatesh and Krishnegowda. Earlier this week, INCERT had reported the death of another female wild elephant in a shooting incidence at Sannakunchi halli, in the Mattigod range of the Nagarhole National Park.

Farmers blame ineffective solar fences.

The farmers are complaining that the solar fence erected by the forest department between Veeranahosalli and Mattigod has been ineffective since the very beginning and the elephants are frequently come out of the forest to feed on the enticing crops such as paddy, ragi, plantain and coconuts, resulting in man-elephant conflict. The fences were erected under a World Bank funded scheme amid much fan-fare and publicity, but the Lokayukta had proved that the entire scheme was a farce, during his raid to the National Park in February 2003.

Large Scale Deforestation activities and delayed rains also blamed.

Large scale deforestation activities are an on going feature inside the National park. The authorities have become mute spectators and timber is being smuggled out of the national park without any hinderance from any quarter. This area of the National Park has not received the usual pre-monsoon showers till date. Only areas around Sarathy, Kakanakote and Heggada Devana Kote have received some good rains. Therefore, the elephants are being forced to come out of the forest in search of fodder and water to tide over the  prolonged harsh summer and are facing the wrath of the villagers in the process.

The current elephant death is the 79th in the series of elephant killings (cullings) in
35 months in the Nagarhole National Park area.