BENGALURU: The state forest department on Tuesday made public the first-ever Karnataka Elephant Camp Safety Protocol for elephant camps, captive elephant holding centres and public elephant viewing facilities.
Tourists will have to stand at least 30 feet away from elephants to watch them in camps. Visitors can no longer bathe, touch or feed the elephants. They will have to stand in the demarcated green zone--viewing gallery-- to see the animals. All activities of the elephants and the visitors will be monitored and recorded through CCTVs. Not more than 10 elephants will be kept for public viewing in camps.
A visitor from Tamil Nadu was killed in the Dubare elephant camp on May 19. The protocols are similar to the Standard Operating Procedures which were released by the forest department after a trekker from Keralam had gone missing and another had died in the forests of Karnataka.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, wildlife, Kumar Pushkar said: “The protocols were signed on June 11. The camps have been given 15 days time to abide by them. The camps will be inspected and certified and permission for operation will be given. Until the permission is obtained, operations are not permitted.”
He added that based on the carrying capacity of the camp size, the number of elephants and the footfall, batches and timings for visitors allowed to view the elephants will be also decided.
Pushkar said not more than 50-75 visitors can be allowed at one point in the green zone. Viewing time should be restricted within 20-30 minutes, apart from 10 minutes briefing time and 10 minutes buffer time.
Of the total 10 elephant camps in the state, tourists are allowed in Dubare, Harangi, Mathigodu, Sakrebylu and Pansoli in Dandeli. The department houses 114 elephants in the 10 camps, the highest in India.
The protocols also stated that musth, pre-musth, aggressive, injured, sick, fatigued, stressed, newly captured, recently fighting or uncertain-command elephants and mother with a calf (until about six months old) shall not be exposed to the public. Elephants will not be placed close enough to push, gore, displace or disturb each other during public viewing or operational handling.
All elephant camps to have three zones
Red: Elephant operation area- bathing, feeding, tethering, vet care. Accessible only to mahouts, vets and staffers. Area is barricaded
Amber: A controlled pathway for staff movement and emergency works
Green: Visitor viewing area, where they are accompanied by guides to watch the elephants.
Visitors cannot touch, feed or bath the elephants. Crossing the barricades is prohibited
FOCUS ON SAFETY
Camps will be supervised by in-charge DRFOs, and violations of protocols could lead to closure of the camp
Visitor batches and time slots will be fixed and displayed based on footfall and camp capacity
Online booking and spot-entry ticketing systems will be introduced
Children, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and pregnant women must remain under strict supervision
Elephant behaviour codes and daily opening procedure logs must be maintained
