Forest department to resume operation to capture wild jumbos today

The Forest Department will resume the ‘Operation Jumbo’, which was suspended after Dasara elephant Arjuna was killed battling a wild jumbo, last month. 

The department has made preparations to resume the operation to capture wild jumbos and fix radio collars from Thursday as the wild elephant menace has increased in Malnad region. 

Tamed elephants Harsha, Sugreeva, Dhananjaya, Ashwathama, Prashantha have already reached the Bikkodu Elephant Camp in Belur taluk for the purpose.  Elephants Bheema, Mahendra, Abhimanyu and others are expected to arrive on Thursday, according to the department personnel.

The mahouts, who had said that they would capture the wild jumbo that killed Arjuna, will also be part of the operation. Ten tamed elephants will be used in the operation, led by Abhimanyu, in Belur forest area.

The operation to capture wild elephants was started on November 23. Arjuna died in an attack by a wild jumbo at Dabbalikatte forest area in Sakleshpur taluk on December 4. The department had suspended the rescue mission after the incident.