Arunachal: Expert Team from Karnataka Arrives to Capture Rogue Elephant
A 12-member expert team from Karnataka has been deployed in Deomali to track and relocate a rogue elephant linked to multiple fatalities.
KHONSA/DEOMALI- A specialised 12-member team from Karnataka has begun an operation in Deomali to track and relocate a rogue elephant that has been linked to multiple human casualties in Tirap district over the past two years.
The team, which arrived on March 30, is led by Dr. Ramesha H., a senior veterinary officer and elephant specialist. It includes experts in tranquilisation, wildlife monitoring, and trained mahouts associated with Karnataka’s elephant camps.
Forest officials stated that the operation will deploy a combination of traditional and technological methods, including the use of trained kumki elephants and thermal drones, to track and safely capture the animal. The initiative is part of a broader effort to address the persistent human-elephant conflict in the region.
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According to officials, the rogue elephant has been responsible for several fatal encounters, prompting the need for an organised intervention involving experienced personnel from outside the state.
Range Forest Officer (RFO), Deomali, Diwang Lowang, welcomed the visiting team and appealed to local residents to remain vigilant. He urged the public to report any sightings of the elephant to the Forest Department, emphasising that community cooperation will be critical for the success of the operation.
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The Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Deomali, acknowledged the role of Forest and Environment Minister Wangki Lowang in facilitating the deployment of the expert team. Officials indicated that the collaboration aims to ensure a coordinated and effective response to the ongoing situation.
Authorities expressed cautious optimism that the operation will lead to the safe capture and relocation of the elephant, thereby reducing the risk to human life and easing tensions in affected areas.
The incident highlights the broader challenges posed by human-elephant conflict in forest-adjacent regions, where habitat pressures and human activity increasingly intersect.
