Alipurduar: A coordinated operation by the Jaldapara Wildlife Division, Jalpaiguri Division, Cooch Behar Division and the Buxa Tiger Reserve successfully guided a herd of 17 elephants back into forest territory after they strayed into human settlements in Cooch Behar district.
According to forest officials, the herd—comprising five calves, five sub-adults and seven adults—lost its way due to dense fog and wandered out of the Dalgaon forest of Jalpaiguri Forest Division. The elephants emerged from the South Khayerbari area on the western fringe of the Jaldapara National Park early on Tuesday and moved through several villages under the cover of darkness, initially unnoticed.
Crossing two major roads and a railway line, the herd reached the Balasundar area via Bhutnirghat near Falakata town, nearly 25 kilometres from the forest. The elephants took shelter for the day in a kash grass patch beside the Dudua River, about 20 kilometres from the nearest forest cover. Forest teams swiftly cordoned off the area to ensure the safety of both the animals and local residents. Around 10 teams were deployed, public announcements were made, and prohibitory orders under BNHS-163 were imposed by the Cooch Behar district administration. Railway authorities were alerted and train speeds were restricted due to the risk of elephant movement.
Considering the presence of young calves and the risk of aggression, forest officials began a carefully coordinated drive on Tuesday evening. The herd started moving around 1 am on Wednesday and safely entered the South Khayerbari forest under Jaldapara Wildlife Division by 6 am amid dense fog.
DFO Parveen Kaswan said the operation involved overnight tracking of footprints and strategic timing to minimise human presence. “This was a result of teamwork. The elephants travelled nearly 20 kilometres and were guided back safely. No injuries or loss of life occurred,” he said.