168 elephants sighted in Bhadra wildlife reserve during census

CHIKKAMAGALURU: Even as the elephant census continued in the Bhadra Wildlife sanctuary, reports from the wildlife office reveal that as many as 168 wild elephants have been sighted so far.

According to census enumerators, nearly 69 jumbos were sighted in the Lakkavally and the Tanigebail forest ranges. On Thursday, work was done in a forked route system to record numbers by observing old and the new faecal matter of elephants in all the ranges.

On Friday, counting was taken up near the water bodies normally frequented by wild elephants. Photographing will be also done here, said Wildlife DCFO Narayana Swamy.

At Lakkavally forest range, 65 jumbos were sighted and nine were found in the Tanigebail range.

A source said that more than 30 elephants were sighted outside 50 per cent of core forest area selected for the census. Even as rain continues in Hebbe and Muttodi ranges, the census has been going has not been interrupted.

It is believed that the number of elephants in the sanctuary has been on the rise if the present census is of any indication.

During the last census, it was believed that 250 to 300 were present and this time, the number is likely to cross 350.

Three enumerators trudge a 2km distance on every forked path and detect the presence of elephants indirectly, going by their faecal heaps. Residents in the adjoining areas of the Muttodi and the Lakkavally ranges are crossing the river to see the census work out of curiosity, said the DCFO.