Karnataka will formally hand over six trained kumki elephants to Andhra Pradesh in a ceremonial event at the Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar will present the elephants—four from the Dubare Elephant Camp in Kodagu district and two from the Sakrebailu Elephant Camp in Shivamogga district—to Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, who also holds the Environment and Forests portfolio. This transfer, aimed at addressing the escalating human-elephant conflict in Andhra Pradesh’s border districts like Chittoor and Parvathipuram Manyam, marks a significant milestone in interstate cooperation. Rooted in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on September 27, 2024, between the forest departments of both states, the initiative reflects a shared commitment to wildlife management, knowledge exchange, and regional stability.
Karnataka, home to India’s largest wild elephant population of 6,395 as per the 2017 census, has a long history of training kumki elephants—captive elephants skilled in driving away wild elephants, capturing rogue ones, and mitigating conflicts with human settlements. The six elephants, named Ranjan, Deva, Masthi, Karuna, Krishna, and Abhimanyu, are part of Karnataka’s 103 semi-trained kumki elephants housed in camps like Dubare and Sakrebailu. These elephants are distinct from those participating in the iconic Jamboo Savari during Mysuru’s Dasara festival, ensuring that Karnataka retains its culturally significant pachyderms. The transfer follows a request by Pawan Kalyan on August 8, 2024, during a visit to Bengaluru, where he sought eight kumki elephants to manage wild elephant incursions in Andhra Pradesh, alongside training for mahouts and forest staff.
Andhra Pradesh faces a growing human-elephant conflict, particularly in Chittoor, Tirupati, Annamayya, and Parvathipuram Manyam districts, where wild elephants have caused significant damage. Over the past decade, these districts have reported over 30 human deaths and the destruction of thousands of acres of crops, with an estimated 120–142 elephants roaming the region as per a 2019 census. Incidents include a farm worker’s death in Chittoor’s Thavanampalle mandal in May 2024 and a couple killed in the same district in August 2023. The state’s existing kumki elephants, stationed in Tirupati and Nandyal, are over 60 years old and nearing retirement, prompting the need for younger, trained elephants. Andhra Pradesh has also trained forest personnel, mahouts, and kavadis in Karnataka, with a recent batch completing a program to handle kumki operations effectively.
The MoU, signed during Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre’s visit to Vijayawada in September 2024, emerged from discussions at the International Conference on Human-Elephant Conflict Management held in Bengaluru in August 2024. The agreement, involving Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Kerala, focuses on sharing best practices for elephant capture, mahout training, and conflict mitigation. It includes deploying expert teams, establishing standard operating procedures for tranquilizing and capturing elephants, and sharing real-time data on elephant migration. The collaboration also addresses broader issues like red sanders smuggling, with Karnataka seizing ₹140 crore worth of the wood smuggled from Andhra Pradesh’s Seshachalam forests in 2024. Both states have agreed to use satellite technology to curb poaching and protect forest resources, enhancing their joint conservation efforts.
The transfer benefits both states. In Andhra Pradesh, the kumki elephants will be stationed at camps in Palamaner (Chittoor) and Gutchmi (Parvathipuram Manyam), where they will deter wild elephants from entering villages and farmlands. In Karnataka, the initiative indirectly reduces conflict in Kolar district, which borders Chittoor and has seen increased elephant incursions. By preventing rogue elephants from crossing into Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh’s operations will alleviate pressure on Kolar’s farmers and forest department. Karnataka’s experience in managing human-elephant conflict is notable, with 2,500 conflict incidents and 350 human deaths recorded over the past decade. The state has enhanced compensation for elephant-related deaths to ₹20 lakh and plans a 2,000-hectare elephant sanctuary in Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary to relocate over 150 wild elephants roaming outside forest areas.
Karnataka’s history of gifting kumki elephants is well-documented. Since 2016, the state has transferred 62 elephants to states like Uttar Pradesh (four in 2022–23), Madhya Pradesh (14), Maharashtra (three), and Chhattisgarh, often as goodwill gestures to manage conflict in regions with less expertise. However, the practice has faced criticism. The 2023 death of Karnataka’s celebrated kumki elephant Arjuna during a capture operation in Hassan district sparked outrage, with activists alleging violations of the Ministry of Environment’s guidelines, such as conducting operations in low-visibility terrain. Karnataka’s forest department has defended its actions, citing pressure from locals affected by conflicts and the need to manage overcrowded elephant camps.
Andhra Pradesh is also taking steps to build its own kumki capacity. On January 27, 2025, the state announced plans to train three elephants—two from Sri Venkateswara Zoological Park in Tirupati and one from Indira Gandhi Zoological Park in Visakhapatnam—previously captured from the wild. A temporary kumki holding area in Parvathipuram Manyam, funded by ₹3 crore from the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA), is under development. These efforts aim to reduce dependence on external support, though the immediate need for trained kumki elephants prompted the agreement with Karnataka.
Public sentiment on platforms like X in May 2025 reflects enthusiasm for the initiative. Posts praised the interstate collaboration, highlighting the MoU’s role in addressing human-elephant conflict and strengthening ties between Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Users also noted the strategic benefit for Kolar and the cultural assurance that Dasara elephants would remain in Karnataka. However, some expressed concerns about the welfare of the transferred elephants, referencing past incidents like Arjuna’s death and urging adherence to ethical training practices.
The handover represents a model for regional cooperation in tackling wildlife challenges. By combining Karnataka’s expertise in kumki training with Andhra Pradesh’s urgent need for conflict mitigation, the initiative addresses immediate threats while fostering long-term conservation strategies. Both states’ commitment to technology-driven solutions, like satellite monitoring, and knowledge exchange sets a precedent for other regions grappling with human-wildlife conflicts. As the six kumki elephants—Ranjan, Deva, Masthi, Karuna, Krishna, and Abhimanyu—prepare to serve in Andhra Pradesh, they embody a shared vision of coexistence, where humans, elephants, and ecosystems can thrive.
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