Daijiworld Media Network – Madikeri

Madikeri, Sep 20: The Dubare Elephant Camp in Kushalnagar taluk will reopen to tourists from September 20, with visitor numbers and timings restricted as part of safety measures.

Initially, tourists will be allowed entry only between 9.30 am and 11.30 am. A maximum of 150 visitors will be permitted for a 45-minute session, with groups of 25 formed and taken around the camp accompanied by guides.

Visitors will have to maintain a distance of around 10 metres from the elephants and will not be permitted to touch, feed or bathe them. Barricades have been installed to maintain a safe distance between tourists and the elephants.

The entry fee has been fixed at Rs 140 on regular days and Rs 160 on weekends and holidays. The camp has 30 elephants, of which 10 will be available for viewing by tourists.

DCF Abhishek said tourist entry had been permitted after implementing the Standard Operating Procedure formulated by the state government for elephant camps. The operating hours may be extended to other time slots after assessing the situation in the coming days, he said.

The camp was closed to tourists after an incident on June 1, when two elephants fought and a woman tourist from Tamil Nadu caught between them was killed. One of the injured elephants also died in the incident.