Sakrebailu Elephant Camp near Shivamogga reopened after safety measures in place

Sakrebailu Elephant Camp near Shivamogga reopened to visitors on Saturday after a closure of more than three months. The camp had been shut since May this year following a tragic incident where a woman visitor died after being caught between two fighting elephants at Dubare Elephant Camp in Kodagu district. The Forest Department implemented a standard operating procedure (SOP) to ensure safety of both visitors and elephants in all such camps.

On the first day of reopening, 534 people visited the camp, including several tourists from distant places like Bengaluru. Separate paths have been laid out for animals and visitors, with the animals' area designated as a red zone accessible only to staff. Visitors are now required to maintain a distance of about 30 feet from the elephants, and activities such as bathing alongside the elephants have been discontinued.

The department installed CCTV cameras to monitor visitor movement and posted instructions and announcements to reinforce safety precautions. Prasanna Krishna Patagara, DCF (Wildlife) of Shivamogga, stated that the SOP aimed to safeguard both visitors and animals, with a cap of eight to ten elephants present at the camp each day.