Karnataka Forest Department fits two elephants with radio-collars in Hassan to track herd movement

Forest Department officials attempting to fit a wild elephant with a radio-collar to track movement of Bhuvaneshwari herd in Belur Range of Hassan district on August 10, 2026. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT Karnataka Forest Department officials captured two wild elephants and fitted them with radio collars over two days in the Belur range of Hassan district.On Monday (August 10, 2026), they captured an elephant from a herd named Bhuvaneshwari and fitted it with an indigenous radio collar to track the herd’s movements. On Tuesday (August 11, 2026), they captured an elephant from a herd named Beetamma after sedating it with a tranquilliser dart, fitted it with an indigenous radio collar, and released it back into the forest.The department had first fitted a radio collar on an elephant from the Bhuvaneshwari herd three years ago, and on an elephant from the Beetamma herd two years ago. The batteries on both collars had since expired, making it difficult for staff to track the herds. To resume tracking, staff identified other elephants from the same two groups in Belur range and fitted them with fresh indigenous radio collars.Sourabh Kumar, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Hassan division, told the media that the operation involved kumki elephants Ekalavya from the Nagarahole elephant camp, and Prashanth, Dhananjaya, Eshwar, Lakshman and Ajjaiah from the Dubare elephant camp. Forest Department officials fitted a wild elephant with a radio-collar to track movement of a Bhuvaneshwari herd in Belur Range of Hassan district on August 10, 2026. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT Veterinarians Dr. Vasim, Dr. Adarsha and Dr. Vinayak were part of the operation and took the necessary precautions to ensure the elephants were released safely after the collars were fitted.With this, the department is now tracking four herds active in the district using indigenous radio collars. Mr. Kumar said the collars allowed the department staff to track the movement of herds and alert the local public, helping avoid human-elephant conflict in the region. Forest officers and field staff were involved in the operation, he added. Forest Department officials captured an elephant of Beetamma herd and fitted it with a radio-collar in Belur range of Hassan on August 11, 2026. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT Published - August 11, 2026 06:37 pm IST