Karnataka’s Dubare Elephant Camp tragedy: 5 rules to follow in the presence of wildlife

A tragic incident at Karnataka’s Dubare Elephant Camp has once again highlighted the risks associated with close-contact wildlife tourism. A 33-year-old tourist from Chennai lost her life after reportedly getting caught between two elephants during a public bathing session at the popular camp in Kodagu district.

The accident occurred on the banks of the Kaveri River when two elephants became aggressive and began fighting during the session. Visitors had gathered to watch one of the camp’s most popular attractions — the daily elephant bathing ritual conducted by mahouts — when the situation suddenly turned chaotic.

As reported, things went wrong when two elephants started to fight each other suddenly. In spite of the efforts made by the handlers to calm down the situation,the tourist was caught in the chaos and sustained fatal injuries.

Furthermore, the incident has sparked conversations about the management of wildlife tourism activities in India, especially those involving interactions in which tourists get to be close to large animals in a controlled environment. Wildlife experts have always warned that trained or domesticated elephants could act unpredictably when stressed, during dominance fights, or when startled by movement.

5 important rules that travellers should always adhere to around wildlife

Never approach animals for pictures or for close encounters

One of the most common mistakes that many tourists commit is taking wildlife animals for granted because of their domestication and training. In any wildlife activity such as safaris, camps, marine, or forest areas, no animals should ever be approached just to take pictures or selfies. Domesticated or trained animals could act unpredictably if they sense any form of threat, stress, or challenge from other animals.

Respect barriers, instructions, and designated viewing areas

There is a purpose behind creating viewing restrictions in wildlife camps, national parks, and safari areas. Such viewing instructions are typically created by forest officials, guides, and wildlife experts who know the behavior patterns of the animals. Disregarding viewing instructions, venturing into viewing areas, and trying to approach animals for better pictures can quickly put one in danger.

Keep your voice down and avoid sudden movements and flash photographs

Animals have very sensitive ears, eyes, and minds, and are easily irritated by any unusual sound, movement, or visual stimuli. Making noise, shouting, running, or taking flash photographs can irritate the wildlife, particularly when there is a large number of tourists around. When there are several animals kept in the same area, such stimuli can make their behavior even more unpredictable.

Never feed animals unless it is officially supervised

Feeding wild animals without proper permission might seem like an innocent act, but it can influence the behaviour of animals and promote dangerous contact between animals and tourists. Animals can sometimes get violent or start associating crowds with food. At designated wildlife sites, feeding is only permitted under supervision of professionals aware of the dangers associated with this activity. Tourists are advised not to carry any food in wildlife areas without being told otherwise.

Wildlife tourism is not a controlled entertainment

Another major misunderstanding regarding wildlife tourism is that the animals in camps, reserves or safaris are fully predictable due to their exposure to humans. This is far from the case – animals such as elephants, big cats, marine life, and other wildlife will always operate according to instincts. The right attitude to take when engaging with wildlife experiences is cautious and realistic.