Tag Archives: Harshakumar Chikkanaragund

Mathigodu Elephant Camp In Kodagu Now A Tourist Centre

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The Mathigodu Elephant Camp, situated a short distance away from the Anechowkur Gate at the entry of Kodagu district from Mysuru, has transformed into a tourist attraction and is set to welcome visitors soon. Among its notable residents are the Dasara Howdah Elephant and the fearless  tusker, Abhimanyu.

Passersby along the Mysuru-Gonikoppal Road often halt their vehicles to have a glimpse these majestic creatures, albeit from a distance, as access to the camp was previously restricted for safety reasons and to maintain its exclusivity.

Capitalising on its popularity, the Forest Department has revamped the Mathigodu Elephant Camp into a tourist hub while prioritising safety measures. This camp falls within the precincts of the Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, adding to its allure. The Forest Department has spent Rs. 1 crore towards its development.

In an endeavour to raise awareness about human-wildlife conflicts, concerted efforts are underway to educate tourists visiting the Mathigodu Elephant Camp about wildlife conservation. This initiative seeks to foster a deeper understanding of the delicate balance between human settlements and wildlife habitats, with the hope of mitigating such conflicts in the future.

Despite being recognised as an ideal habitat for the State’s finest elephants by the Forest Department, the Mathigodu Elephant Camp hadn’t been optimised as a tourist destination. Meanwhile, the Dubare Elephant Camp near Kushalnagar experienced a steady influx of visitors.

Picture shows the visitor pathway inside the camp.

Located inside a jungle

As the camp is located inside a jungle, there is no provision to open shops and hotels here to convert it into a full-fledged commercial centre. However, basic amenities have been meticulously arranged to ensure the comfort and convenience of visitors, including designated parking areas, feeding zones for the elephants and recreational facilities.

To ensure the safety of both visitors and elephants, a railway track barrier gate has been erected, effectively preventing proximity interactions. Additionally, the establishment of two designated parking lots offers travellers ample space to unwind. A dedicated walking path has been constructed, facilitating easy access from the parking areas to the elephant viewing zone.

This setup not only caters to the demand for elephant viewing but also serves as an educational platform for visitors. The place offers comprehensive insights into elephant behaviour, the significance of elephant camps, monitoring protocols, profiles of the famed Dasara elephants, methods of elephant capture, the role of Kumki elephants, feeding practices, distinctions between Asian and African elephant species and other pertinent information concerning the rehabilitation of elephants.

An information centre has been inaugurated, serving as a repository of knowledge on elephants and forest conservation. Equipped with valuable resources, it aims to provide visitors with an immersive learning experience, fostering greater awareness and appreciation for wildlife conservation efforts.

Development works worth Rs. 1 crore have been taken up including a safe elephant feeding area and an information centre.

Home for 17 elephants

Currently, the Mathigodu Elephant Camp is home to a distinguished herd of 17 elephants. Among them are Abhimanyu, Bhima, Mahendra, Ravi, Somashekhar, Masti, Ashoka, Kyaata, Chamundeshwari, Bhuvaneshwari, Srikanta, Abhi (Zoo elephant), Rama, Ekalavya and two forest elephants.

Under the leadership of Range Forest Officer (RFO) D. Devaraj, the well-being and welfare of these magnificent creatures are diligently overseen by a team of DRFOs, dedicated staff members and experienced mahouts and kavadis.

Picture shows Virajpet MLA A.S. Ponnanna feeding watermelon to a tusker during inauguration of the elephant camp recently.

Equipment for surveillance

Visitors have a unique opportunity to witness first-hand the equipment utilised by the Forest Department for managing human-elephant conflicts and operations. Within a designated room, an array of tools is on display, ranging from tranquilliser darts and guns for administering them, to ropes essential for elephant operations.

Additionally, visitors can inspect sophisticated surveillance devices such as camera traps, thermal drones, torches and wireless communication devices utilised in conflict management operations.

This immersive experience will enable visitors to gain a deeper understanding of the intricate procedures and tools employed by the Forest Department. By witnessing these resources up close, visitors can refine their perceptions regarding human-elephant conflict management, appreciating the complexities involved and the efforts undertaken to mitigate such conflicts.

Golden Howdah carriers

The Information Centre showcases a comprehensive list of distinguished  elephants that have had the honour of carrying the 750-kg Golden Howdah during the Dasara festival. Among these pachyderms, Jayamarthanda stands out, having shouldered the Golden Howdah an impressive 45 times.

Other notable elephants who have carried the Howdah are Vijayabahaddur, Nanjunda, Ramaprasad, Motilal Rao, Airavata, Rajendra, Drona (19 times), Balarama (11 times), Arjuna (8+1 times), Abhimanyu (4 times), each adding their majestic presence to the  grand procession.

Entry fee will be charged

The Mathigodu Elephant Camp has been enhanced to accommodate visitors, with all necessary arrangements for their convenience. Following a formal request to the Government regarding the implementation of an entry fee for tourists visiting the elephant camp, the Government has approved the proposal and granted permission. We have taken the necessary steps to prepare accordingly. —Harshakumar Chikkanaragund,Director (DCF), Nagarahole Tiger Reserve

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles> Top Stories / by M T Yogesh Kumar / March 19th, 2024

Human-Elephant Conflict In Kodagu: Thermal Drone Pinpoints Elephant Presence At Night

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Helps Forest Officers effectively plan operations and drive pachyderms back into jungle.

Amid the rise in the human-elephant conflict in some forested pockets of Kodagu along the Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, the Forest Department has deployed a hi-tech thermal drone to keep track of daytime and nocturnal movements of wild elephants inside forest ranges and human habitats.

The drone technology was first used in Nagarahole to control forest fires and now, there are three such drones there. However, a need was felt to acquire a thermal drone due to the increasing human-elephant conflict.

Sources said while managing the human-elephant conflict, the safety of elephants and also humans has been a major concern for the Forest Department and the wildlife activists as deaths of animals are being frequently reported from various parts of the district as they come into contact with live electricity wires.

Due to the need, one thermal drone was brought to Nagarahole in January this year at a cost of Rs. 25 lakh. Monitoring the movement of the elephants has always been a challenge for the Department amid several limitations.

“Now we have been using a thermal drone and it detects live objects through their body temperature and those get flashed on the computer screen. It gives us a proper count of a herd and the number of calves,” Nagarahole Tiger Reserve Director Harshakumar Chikkanaragund told Star of Mysore.

The drone can also be used to drive the elephant herd away from a potential danger area as its location can be pinpointed. The drones are not only helping the staff determine the herd composition and drive them in a desirable direction but also prevent casualties.

Heat signatures of living species

Unlike drones with normal cameras that rely on light signals to capture images, thermal drone cameras pick up heat signatures of living species in motion. This makes thermal drones ideal for deployment after sunset, complementing the use of normal drones during daylight hours.

“By accurately detecting herd movements, determining their composition and tracking elephant directions, objective decisions can be made for deploying elephant squads. Thermal drone cameras have become an invaluable asset for night-time operations. They enhance situational awareness, ensuring efficient management of wild elephant movements and mitigating potential conflicts,” Harshakumar added.

According to Deputy Range Forest Officer (DRFO) Yogeshwari Desai, who has been trained to use the thermal drone, the machine has a 2-km range and can fly 400 metres above the surface. It has a powerful thermal sensor and night vision ‘positive image’ technology cameras. It is convenient to use and the exact location can be ascertained. If one has to do physical combing even for a 2-km range, a lot of manpower and equipment is needed,” she explained. 

Easy navigation inside woods

The camera on the drone operates based on the location information obtained via GPS, enabling easy navigation of the elephants’ whereabouts. Additionally, the drones produce minimal noise, allowing the staff to monitor animals such as elephants, tigers and other wildlife without causing any disturbance

During the night, the thermal drones conduct operations using radar, ensuring that local residents are not inconvenienced. Once the specific location of the elephants is identified, the information is sent to the Task Force and the teams proceed to drive the elephants back into the forest.

It also becomes easy to spot the origin of forest fire and extinguishers can be rushed to the place, she said. The drone has a backup of 40 minutes and after that, the battery must be charged. The drone has three batteries.

The team that has been trained to operate thermal drone at Nagarahole.

Trained team

Before the drone was deployed, a New Delhi-based team trained eight operators at Nagarahole. They are DRFO Jyothi Kumar and Forest Guard Sunil Nellebidu (Antharasanthe), DRFO B.B. Mahesh Kumar (D.B. Kuppe), DRFO Chethan Kumar Kolur (Nagarahole), DRFO Yogeshwari Desai (Anechowkur), DRFOs K.K. Arpitha and H.N. Madhuprasad (Hunsur) and Forest Guard Basavaraju (Veeranahosahalli).

The operators were trained for six days at Dammanakatte, Veeranahosahalli and Moorkal ranges that abut human habitats. The Nagarahole Director further said that they will seek aid from wildlife-related organisations, NGOs and firms to sponsor more such thermal drones for effective management of conflict zones.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles, Top Stories /July 18th, 2023