A bridge for giants: Elephants use Bengaluru’s first wildlife overpass

In a major wildlife conservation breakthrough, the forest department recorded elephants crossing Karnataka’s first elephant overpass on NH-209 near Tataguni, connecting forest habitats near Bengaluru’s outskirts.

Constructed by the National Highways Authority of India, the overpass enables safe elephant movement between Bannerghatta National Park and the Savandurga forests in Ramanagara district across the busy highway.

Forest officials noticed elephant activity near Anepalya and BM Kaval areas but found no dung or footprints on the road, raising questions about how the animals crossed the busy highway safely.

Suspecting the overpass was being used, the Bengaluru Urban forest division installed camera traps along the structure to monitor wildlife movement and confirm whether elephants were crossing through it.

Camera traps recorded a tusker walking across the overpass at 3:58 am on Sunday, officially confirming elephants had begun using the wildlife structure designed to prevent dangerous highway crossings.

The wildlife overpass, completed in 2024 at a cost exceeding ₹20 crore, was designed to reduce human-wildlife conflict and ensure safer movement for animals across the highway.

Under forest officer N Ravindra Kumar, slopes, bamboo, and fruit-bearing trees were planted on the overpass, transforming it into a natural habitat encouraging elephants, leopards, and wildlife movement.