Meera Bhardwaj:
Karnataka has lost a shocking 13 elephants – mostly tuskers in the last three months between April 15-July 26, 2026 due to varied reasons while 8 or more tuskers have been captured during this period with some botched-up operations. Despite this, the D K Shivakumar led Congress govt seems to be least bothered about forest or wildlife conservation as the state till date, does not have a forest minister.
In fact, the Karnataka elephant mortality statistics is horrifying even though the state is well-known for its conservation measures across India.
If 21 elephants have died between October, 2025 and July 26, 2026, then 13 tuskers, Makhna & female elephants have been captured to tackle the rising conflict situation across the south interior & malenad districts.
The reasons for death of elephants are basically due to disappearance of corridors, diversion of forests and habitat fragmentation.
If a few elephants have died due to electrocution, drowning in reservoirs, then others have died due to severe infighting, dehydration and malnutrition.
Adding a double whammy to this, incidents of poaching are rising in Karnataka with the arrest of a few poachers possessing elephant tusks in Mysuru, Mangaluru and other districts.
LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT INCIDENTS BETWEEN APRIL-JULY, 2026
April 15, 2026: Elephant captured in Bikkodu, Hassan district. Earlier, in a botched-up operation at Arehalli, Hassan, a tranquillized tusker took to its heels. It is reported that the tusker was administered two shots of etorphine but it broke free and bolted with the ropes attached to its neck and fee.
April 23, 2026: One of the three female elephants, about 25-years-old struggled extensively during the rescue operations in Udutore Halla Dam backwaters, MM Hills and died three days later.
April 30, 2026: One young elephant found dead due to starvation at Belur, Hassan while its mother and rest of the herd moved away from the site.
May 9, 2026: An injured tusker died in Gopinatham Reservoir, Cauvery Sanctuary when it could not come out of the dam after drinking water. Locals alleged action was not taken to rescue the tusker.
May 12, 2026: 36-38-year-old elephant was found dead in Mugguru Range of Cauvery Sanctuary. It had died due to multiple organ failure.
May 19, 2026: Tusker Marthanda died in an infighting with Kanjan, another aggressive camp elephant at Dubare Elephant Camp. He was severely injured by Kanjan.
May 22, 2026: A wild female elephant was found dead in the forests of B R Hills Sanctuary wherein the death occurred in the core zone of the protected area.
May 24, 2026: The image below shows the carcass of a wild tusker which was found floating in the backwaters of Bommanahalli, Haliyal forest division in Uttar Kannada district. It is reported to have died due to accidental drowning as it had no injury marks.
May 25, 2026: A two-year-old female elephant was found dead in Neeradurgi beat, Bedaguli section, Punajanur wildlife range of B R Hills Tiger Reserve.
May 25, 2026: A very young tusker was found dead in a farm field in Sullia taluk, Dakshin Kannada taluk, it is said to have died in the aftermath of an attack by another tusker.
May 26, 2026: Three tusks of a wild tusker were seized by Mysuru Range Forest officials on intelligence received from DRI, Nagpur from a home in Ramakrishnanagar in Mysuru. And four people were arrested who are suspected to be part of an Ivory Smuggling Network.
June 2, 2026: A conflict Makhna elephant was captured in Channapatna taluk, Bengaluru South district, however, a JCB was repeatedly used to jab the animal so as to push it into a truck which experts questioned.
June 4, 2026: A 25-year-old wild tusker was electrocuted when caught in a solar fencing at Tondoor in Kushalnagara, Kodagu district. (Image-1 of electrocuted tusker)
June 13, 2026: Three dentists were arrested by Mangaluru CID Forest Cell officials near Jodukatte in Maroli, Padavu village, Mangaluru for illegally selling two elephant tusks weighing 42.7 kgs. They are reported to be part of an illegal wildlife network selling wildlife parts.
June 24, 2026: A 25-year-old wild Makhna elephant was found dead inside a coffee estate near Karepalya Patrol near Punajanur Wildlife Range, BRT Tiger Reserve, Chamarajanagar district. Reasons not known for its death.
June 25, 2026: A wild conflict tusker was captured in Chikkamannugudde village, Channapatna taluk, Bengaluru South district. A capture operation that attracted a lot of criticism from wildlife experts for using an earthmover to push the tusker.
June 27, 2026: A wild tusker was captured in Channapatna taluk, Bengaluru South district, however, darting a moving elephant in a herd of four elephants, became a big controversy – resulting in inquiry into both the 25 & 27 captures.
July 3, 2026: The above picture shows the carcass of a wild tusker which was electrocuted when caught in an electric fence around a plantation at Bhattargadde village near Talavara in Mudigere, Chikkamagaluru district.
July 7, 2026: An elephant was found dead at Dally’s estate, Kunjila-Kakkabe village in Kodagu district in the background of continuing conflict situation in this district. The reasons for its death are yet to be ascertained.
July 15, 2026: A 35-year-old tusker was captured near the foothills of Ranganbetta near Ganduganahankalu in Channagiri taluk and was translocated to Nagarhole.
July 26, 2026: The picture below depicts how a 30-year-old female elephant was found dead inside Kaurikadu coffee estate near Anandapura in Virajpet taluk, Kodagu district while its 1.5 years old calf was found to be inconsolable. It had died from severe internal injuries, spinal haemorrhage, maybe, sustained in a fall.
ELEPHANT RESCUES IN KARNATAKA
Five elephants including three females, a tusker and a male calf elephant was rescued by the Karnataka Forest Department. Three were stuck in a small dam and were rescued but one of them died. Another tusker was freed from a railway barricade when it was stuck there for hours together. A male calf elephant which was rescued in a farm was later taken to the Rampura Elephant Camp.
April 18, 2026: Three female elephants of a herd were rescued by forest officials when they got stuck in the deep, slushy backwaters of the Udutore Halla Dam, Suleri Palya, Hanur near MM Hills Sanctuary.
July 1, 2026: A wild tusker was successfully rescued when it got stuck in a railway barricade near Arekoppa village, Kanakapura taluk, Bengaluru South district. The healthy young tusker had come out of forests of Mugguru forest range of Cauvery Sanctuary.
July 22, 2026: A male elephant calf – about 3-4 years old was rescued from a farm field in Saraguru taluk. The calf was found to be roaming around in a maize field erratically for four days and is likely to have separated from the herd. It was later taken to Rampura Elephant Camp in Bandipur Tiger Reserve.
However, the shocking aspect is – Karnataka is home to the highest number of elephants in the country with a population of 6092 as per latest statistics.
But, it seems as if protection and conservation of Asian elephants, a Schedule-1 Species under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, has taken a back seat despite having eight dedicated elephant task forces, dedicated forest officers, and identification of conflict zones in the state.