No contact with jumbos, viewing zones, visitor restrictions: What is Karnataka’s Elephant Camp Safety Protocol?

Account subscription benefits alongside Premium Stories, Editorials, Opinions and more. Unlock these with Subscription

The View From India Looking at World Affairs from the Indian perspective.

First Day First Show News and reviews from the world of cinema and streaming.

Today's Cache Your download of the top 5 technology stories of the day.

Data Point Decoding the headlines with facts, figures, and numbers

Health Matters Ramya Kannan writes to you on getting to good health, and staying there

The Hindu On Books Books of the week, reviews, excerpts, new titles and features.

The safety protocol has been released in the backdrop of the recent death of a tourist and an elephant in a fight between two elephants at the Dubare camp. | Photo Credit: File photo

In a move to ensure visitor and staff safety, elephant welfare, accident prevention, and quick emergency response at all elephant camps in the State, the Karnataka Forest Department has released the Karnataka Elephant Camp Safety Protocol.

The protocol prohibits all kinds of physical contact between tourists and elephants.

The move comes in the backdrop of the recent death of a tourist and an elephant in a fight between two elephants at the Dubare camp.

Ten non-negotiable safety rules have been introduced, including the prohibition of any physical contact with elephants by visitors, such as touching, direct feeding, bathing, taking selfies near elephants, or standing close to them. It also specifies a zoning system, under which visitors must remain in the green zone behind barricades.

A minimum safe viewing distance, preferably 10 metres wherever feasible, based on site risk, is to be maintained. Not more than 50-75 visitors should be present at the green zone viewing point at a time, and a slot duration of 45-60 minutes, including briefing, guided viewing, interpretation, exit, and buffer, is recommended.

Only authorised staff and emergency responders are allowed in the amber zone, which is the controlled staff area. In the red zone, which is the Elephant Operational Area, only mahouts, kavadis, veterinarians, and authorised forest staff are permitted.

Categorising the bathing of elephants as a high-risk operational activity, the protocol prohibits tourists from entering the river or bathing zone.

No more than ten elephants must be kept for public viewing, and elephants in musth, pre-musth, or those that are aggressive, injured, sick, fatigued, stressed, newly captured, recently involved in fights, or under uncertain command, as well as mothers with calves (until about six months old), must