A 30-year-old wild tusker that strayed into a village in search of food and got stuck between barricades while returning to the forest, was successfully rescued and guided back to its natural habitat.

The incident occurred on January 5 in Arasu Hosakatte Lake in the Nagarahole Tiger Reserve in the south Indian state of Karnataka.

The visual shows the wild elephant trapped between two cement pillars, visibly distressed as its tail sways frantically. The elephant was seen struggling to free itself. Nearby, forest officers operate heavy excavators, carefully breaking the barricades while ensuring the animal’s safety. Once freed, the tusker wasted no time regaining its freedom. It sprinted away with a burst of energy, its powerful strides echoing joy and relief.

Speaking to Newslions, Abhishek PS, Range Forest Officer, Veeranahosahally Wildlife Range said that the elephant had wandered out of the forest into Hosakatte village in search of food. Around 5.45 a.m. on Sunday, while trying to return to the forest near a lake, it got stuck between the barricades. Alarmed by the tusker’s loud trumpeting and apparent distress, villagers quickly informed the Forest Department.

He also added saying that it was a radio-collared tusker, whose movement was being monitored. Upon learning of its situation, we assembled the staff and rushed heavy machinery to the spot. The operation was completed in about 20 minutes.

A rescue team, led by veterinarian Dr Ramesh, along with PA Seema (Deputy Conservator of Forests & Director of Nagarahole Tiger Reserve), N Lakshmikanth (Assistant Conservator of Forests), Abhishek P S (Range Forest Officer) initially planned to tranquillize the trapped elephant and lift it out using an excavator. However, the tight space between the barricades posed a risk of internal injuries, prompting the team to abandon this approach.

Instead, they decided to break one of the concrete barricades using an earth mover. Although villagers initially resisted, fearing this would make it easier for elephants to enter their settlements, officials assured them the pillar would be repaired immediately after the rescue. This assurance helped gain their cooperation, allowing the team to proceed.

Once the barricade was partially removed, the tusker’s hind legs were carefully lifted, enabling it to free itself. Shaken but unharmed, the elephant rushed back into the forest, bringing the rescue to a successful conclusion by 6:00 a.m. The operation underscored the delicate balance between human intervention and wildlife conservation.