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-   -   Elephant Attack in the Bandipur Forest area? (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/street-experiences/128475-elephant-attack-bandipur-forest-area-3.html)

I have crossed 3 - 4 times Bandipur, and saw elephants along the road (herd of 3 - 4). But they were busy eating and not interested on us lesser mortals.

This is live recording of Elephant attack in Wayanad. Just imagine how the jeep driver/passenger would have been felt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmB5_sq-gkM

This photo was captured in July in Bandipur forest near K'taka - T'nadu border. From the marks in the back of the elephant, it looks like the same herd of pachyderms are active in that forest-road area as mentioned in Pmishra's post http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/street...ml#post2948866.

1. The accident / incident may have happened but the extent of the injury / body parts being strewn about seem little too much of buildup. If such a serious issue had happened, it would have been well publicized byt the Karnataka Forest department to scare away travelers.

2. Dont ever underestimate the power of elephant

3. Never stop before an elephant / herd. You never know what the idiot before you has done to irritate the elephant.

4. Two wheelers always try to follow a heavy vehicle. Better ssafe than sorry

5. From bandipur to teppakadu, just after the bandipur gate there is a Makkana elephant which hates bikes and sometimes cars also.

6. On the wayanad route, there are bound to be more elephants during the migration season. Wayanad forest department brochure says the sanctuary is teeming with elephants.

7. Regular travelers (trucks / buses / cars) dont stop for wildlife but keep speeding on. It would be nice if they can be slowed down. It is the tourists who stop for wildlife leading to human animal conflict within the forests

8. Please never feed any wildlife

9. Try to travel during day time and if you feel unsure, tag behind a heavy vehicle / local vehicle

Best regards
Bala

Sorry all for being away from the thread for few days after starting this. Thanks for all your comments, I will reply to them shortly. Meanwhile I was in Bandipur Country Club last few days, but could not gather any information on the mentioned accident though the most logical explanation looks like it was an Elephant attack.

I remember seeing this video long long time back in you tube, may be in 2010. Its quite scary. We stand nowhere in front of the huge mammal.

The Horn sound in the video was irritating for me.. Donno if that pissed of the elephant.

Is it required to honk like that to scare the elephant ?

Also, he had his high beams on. Did that help in keeping the elephant away?

Cheers
MKP

I have passed and repassed through Bandipur,Theppakadu, Gundulpet ,Mudumalai and much of the surrounding areas so many times over the years [from around 1973/74 up to Sept 2012 my last journey in the area] that I have lost count of the trips.
I have done these trips alone on a bike, with a pillion, in a car, in a jeep, with my family [wife and 2 kids], any number of combinations, and at all times of day and night.
I have seen all the wildlife there is to see in these areas including [very rare] Tiger and Leopard and countless Elephants. It is very clear to me looking back over the years that todays human pressure on these creatures IS causing them to attack more and more frequently. During the earlier years most Elephant would move away from the road when they heard a bike or car approaching. Today it is quite the opposit
I have been chased on 2 occasions by a male in "musth" but it never was a "serious" charge. It was just to chase away the "intruder" and to proclaim his ownership of the area.
To me the story told seems to be much more of a "set up" most likely an attempted dacoity rather than a genuine accident. Much of that area was quite famous for truck drivers being waylaid and even murdered many years ago. Or else the "accident" would have been reported in all the local papers in a day or so. I think your friend was extremely lucky that the elephants showed up when they did or it may have been quite a different story.

I have travelled many times in the route both during day time and night. I agree and complelely support the move to close down the road during nights (would prefer 6 pm like nagarahole).

The last time I was there to meet somebody from the forest department on the way had to chase quite a few people who were stopping on these roads unnecessairly for their cheap thrills.

Had to team up with the forest officials to keep the rogues away. We humans are good only for screwing up things for the living creatures around us.

On the incident, if any thing like a man trampled had happened would have been reported in the news papers and the news channels too.

Will see If I can dig out more details from my contacts.

One can only say that in this particular instance, perhaps its the high beams and horns which saved the day for the jeep and its occupants from absolute carnage.
But otherwise, high beams and loud horns only irritate/scare them.

Elephant population has risen much in the recent times (RIP Veerappan). They have been venturing out into the estates and small towns in Wayanad and Nilgiris. The last time, an elephant visited our estate was around 20 years ago. Now, they are all over, every other day.
There are quite some interesting stories about the elephants doing rounds in the Bandipur/Muthanga ranges. In the 90's, there used be one, which would chase away white Ambassadors. Anything else, he was happy to let go.

Then, there is Maniyan now, who frequents the Bathery-Pulpally road. He is one friendly guy. :) Here is a video of him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZuSM...endscreen&NR=1

Not relevant to this thread but here is a pic that I got as an email forward. Can anyone confirm the authenticity of this image ?? has anyone come across this pic or know what happened next ??

Wherever this place is, its simply ridiculous for the people to stop firstly and then get off from their vehicles.

Unless this was an aged tiger or the one that was hurt, the Tiger would have simply avoided the human and went on its way. Again subjec to people bothering their own business instead of the tiger's.

If my memory serves me right, this was marked as a morphed photo in one of the nature photography forums. If you take a look at it, the person taking the photo of the tiger from rear is much closer to tiger than the bike.

I think the people on the bike got down to turn around the bike to go the other way as fast as possible.
There was a series of photographs, where a tiger was seen to walk leisurely behind humans on bike. Each time the bikers stopped and looked back, they saw the tiger walking behind them. This was published by some one in facebook.
A image search of the picture led to this http://telanganaheadlines.in/?p=5845
Any Telugu speakers translate this for the rest? Thanks

The discussion drifted more towards Elephants, but we cannot say for sure it was an elephant attack though the probability is high. Theory of the truck hitting an Elephant and that triggering other events is quite possible I thought. Chance of a plot for mugging cannot be ruled out, but planting a car and with a lady in the forest during night defies my reasoning.

That's surprising for me as well, fail to understand this unless it was a plot for mugging or something supernatural :Shockked:

My vote goes with your theory of an injured elephant

Not sure of the car damage, agreed it was not safe to travel there during night

No clues Rajeev, my friend does not remember anyone in the car. May be the lady was driving the car and had hit the man on bike?

There are lot of signboards on the TN side on no photography and they have started collecting penalty for this. There is one very old board on Bandipur side on Do's and Dont's where photography is listed

Is there any recent news of elephant attack in Bandipur / Mudumalai / Masinagudi? I am scheduled to stay inside Mudumalai in TN Govt guest house for 2 nights next week. I came across some youtube videos of elephant attack in Bandipur. That really scared me a lot. Esp since I'll spending the nights in Theppakadu. I have visited the place once before but thankfully did not check the youtube videos :P Ignorance is bliss! Now my family is really scared, even to the point of not willing to go.