No Selfies, No Feeding, No Bathing: Karnataka’s New Elephant Camp SOP After Dubare Tragedy
No Selfies, No Feeding, No Bathing: Karnataka’s New Elephant Camp SOP After Dubare Tragedy Reported By, Last Updated: June 17, 2026, 18:33 IST CNN-News18 has
No Selfies, No Feeding, No Bathing: Karnataka’s New Elephant Camp SOP After Dubare Tragedy Reported By, Last Updated: June 17, 2026, 18:33 IST CNN-News18 has accessed the SOP document, which lays down guidelines for tourist behaviour, crowd management, elephant welfare, emergency response at Karnataka’s 14 elephant camps Rapid Read The Forest Department has moved decisively to redefine the purpose and functioning of elephant camps. (File for representation) The tragic death of a 33-year-old tourist at the Dubare Elephant Camp in Kodagu a month ago has prompted the Karnataka Forest Department to introduce strict new Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that amount to a major overhaul of elephant camp operations across the state, with a strong focus on visitor safety. CNN-News18 has accessed the SOP document, which lays down comprehensive guidelines for tourist behaviour, crowd management, elephant welfare and emergency response at Karnataka’s 14 elephant camps. The Dubare tragedy on May 18 involved Chennai tourist Tulasi, who was trampled to death during a public elephant bathing session in the Cauvery river. Two captive elephants, Kanjan and Marthanda, suddenly turned aggressive and began fighting while tourists watched. In the ensuing chaos, one elephant lost balance and fell, trapping Tulasi underneath. She suffered fatal injuries. Her husband, who tried to rescue her, was injured, while their young daughter escaped unharmed. The incident shocked the nation and raised serious questions about how close tourists are allowed to get to elephants, the effectiveness of crowd control and the adequacy of emergency preparedness — including the absence of an ambulance on standby, as alleged by Tulasi’s husband. In response, the Forest Department has moved decisively to redefine the purpose and functioning of elephant camps. The new protocol marks a clear shift from “interaction-based tourism" to “observation-based tourism, interaction, conservation and education".
NO CONTACT TOURISM Under the Karnataka Elephant Camp Safety Protocol, camps will no longer be venues for close-contact tourism. Visitors will be required to observe elephants from a minimum distance of 10 metres. The SOP enforces a complete ban on activities such as feeding elephants, bathing with them, touching them or taking selfies beside them. Visitors attempting to cross barricades, approach elephants during feeding or bathing, enter operational zones or indulge in risky photography will be immediately removed from the premises. Forest officials stress that these measures are aimed at protecting both people and animals. The SOP underscores that elephants, even when trained and handled by mahouts, remain wild animals capable of sudden and unpredictable behaviour. Loud noises, crowd pressure, flash photography and physical interaction can trigger stress, anxiety and aggression. To implement the new safety norms, every elephant camp will be divided into three clearly demarcated zones Green Zone: The only area open to tourists, consisting of designated viewing galleries and observation points secured by barricades. Visitors will not be allowed beyond these areas under any circumstances. Amber Zone: Restricted to authorised staff, guides and emergency responders involved in crowd management and operational support. Red Zone: Completely out of bounds for the public, reserved for mahouts, kavadis, veterinarians and authorised forest personnel handling elephants. All critical activities — feeding, bathing, tethering, veterinary treatment, loading, unloading and elephant movement — will take place only in this zone and only by specialised staff. One of the key lessons drawn from the Dubare incident is the need for strict physical separation between people and elephants. The SOP states that a minimum viewing distance of 10 metres should be maintained wherever feasible and that distance must be treated as the first line of safety, not to be compromised.
The BriefWire