Tag Archives: Badaga-Banangala Village

More than 30 elephants spotted in Kodagu estate

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The villagers, including estate growers, complained to the department about increased elephant movement across the estate limits.

Officials confirmed that a couple of herds did not budge from the estates as these herds had calves.

Madikeri :

Over 30 elephants were found roaming and herded across the estate limits in Badaga Banangala village in Kodagu. The incident came to light when the forest department took up the mission to chase away the elephants, following complaints of elephant menace in the surrounding regions.

The villagers, including estate growers, complained to the department about increased elephant movement across the estate limits.

Following this, the forest department staff from the Thithimathi division kick-started the mission to chase all the wild elephants back to the forest. During the mission, the foresters spotted over 30 wild elephants herded within the estate and village limits. The foresters faced a challenging situation as the estates were moist and slushy following a downpour. Nevertheless, the numerous separate herds of elephants were guided into the forest area. However, officials confirmed that a couple of herds did not budge from the estates as these herds had calves.

The mission to track the elephant was led by RFO Gangadhar along with other team members. The Rapid Response Team has been halted at the spot to track the movement of the elephant herds that are still staying within the estate limits.

Meanwhile, the growers in the region shared that they face numerous problems, and the elephant menace is worsening it.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Karnataka / by Express News Service / August 11th, 2025

Kodagu: Foresters ferry students to schools in elephant conflict zone

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The department has taken this step following the sighting of over 40 wild elephants in the affected village of Badaga-Banangala.

The forest department has taken the responsibility of ferrying students in the department vehicles to their respective schools following increased wild elephant movement in a few villages in Kodagu, Karnataka.

As confirmed by the department sources, herds of over 40 wild elephants have been sighted camping close the village, stated a report by The New Indian Express.

Meanwhile, the villagers complained that the elephants are camping in estates instead of the forest region and demanded respite from the threat to lives due to increased elephant movement. While the department takes to the mission of chasing the elephants back to forest, the elephants return to the village and destroy plantations. The destruction of agricultural crops has become common to farmers who are suffering from several months.

Further, even the Panchayat workers are threathened by increased elephant movement and are said to be afraid to go to the office located in the conflict region. The estate labourers too are backing off from carrying out estate works due to the fear of elephants.

While the foresters have assured of a permanent solution, the children fear going to schools and colleges. And as a temporary measure, the department staff have made arrangements to ferry students in the forest vehicle to and from their respective schools and colleges.

The forest crew is also patrolling to ensure the safety of the residents, especially estate labourers.

Thithimathi RFO (Range Forest Officer) Gangadhar and others were involved in alerting labourers in elephant-sensitive zones. They are boosting the labourers to go to plantations by regularly combing these areas.

The foresters and Rapid Response Team (RRT) are jointly operating to curb the elephant movement acorss the plantations. They are ferrying students to bus stands and houses in the forest vehicle, stated The New Indian Express report.

Meanwhile, the mission of chasing the elephants back to forest will continue.

source: http://www.edexlive.com / Edex Live, TNIE / Home / by Edex Live Desk / November 18th, 2024