CHITWAN: Chitwan National Park (CNP) has fitted a GPS-enabled satellite radio collar to the wild elephant “Dhurbe,” which has been linked to the deaths of 25 people in and around the park.
According to the park’s Information Officer, Abinash Thapa Magar, the elephant was tranquilized using a dart before technicians fitted the satellite radio collar around its neck. Its tusks were also trimmed before it was safely released back into the wild.
Magar said the collar will enable park authorities to monitor the elephant’s movements and location in real time through GPS tracking, allowing officials to issue timely warnings to nearby communities and strengthen conflict management efforts.
The operation was carried out by a joint team comprising personnel from the Nepal Army’s New Gorakh Battalion, Chitwan National Park officials, and technicians from the National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC).
The park had intensified its search for Dhurbe after the elephant fatally attacked 25-year-old Ashika Bote and her four-year-old son, Bharat Bote, in Bharatpur-23 recently.
Park authorities said the operation was delayed due to persistent rainfall and dense vegetation, which made locating and safely tranquilizing the elephant difficult.
The park has urged local residents to remain vigilant, follow official safety advisories, and immediately inform the authorities if they spot wild elephants in nearby areas.
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