Sakrebyle Elephant Camp shut after Dubare tragedy kills tourist, elephant
Synopsis
A fatal elephant clash at Karnataka's Dubare camp — killing a Chennai tourist and the elephant itself — has now forced the closure of a second major camp at Sakrebyle near Shivamogga. With no revised safety SOPs yet in place and both camps shut, Karnataka's elephant tourism sector faces its most serious safety reckoning in years.
Key Takeaways
Sakrebyle Elephant Camp near Shivamogga has been fully closed to tourists as of 21 May 2025 , pending new safety SOPs.
Junese , a 33-year-old woman from Chennai , was killed at Dubare Elephant Camp on 19 May when captive elephant Marthanda fell on her during a clash with elephant Kanjan .
Her husband Joyal sustained severe injuries and is receiving treatment at Kushalnagar Government Hospital .
Elephant Marthanda died on 20 May from severe internal injuries and suspected cardiac failure due to blood loss.
The Dubare Elephant Camp has also been fully closed to visitors following the incident.
Both closures will remain in force until revised safety guidelines and SOPs are implemented.
The Sakrebyle Elephant Camp near Shivamogga, Karnataka, has been temporarily closed to all visitors following the fatal elephant clash at the Dubare Elephant Camp in Madikeri district on 19 May 2025, in which a woman tourist was killed and her husband severely injured. Authorities announced the complete suspension of tourist access on Wednesday, 21 May, pending the rollout of revised safety protocols.
What Triggered the Closure
The decision follows a deadly altercation between two captive elephants — Marthanda and Kanjan — at the Dubare Elephant Camp while tourists were participating in the elephants' bathing activity in the water body. S. Junese, a 33-year-old woman from Chennai, Tamil Nadu, was killed on the spot after Marthanda reportedly fell on her during the clash. Her husband, Joyal, sustained severe injuries and was shifted to Kushalnagar Government Hospital for treatment.
According to police, the couple had arrived at the camp on Monday morning, initially posed for photographs with the trained elephants, and later entered the water body along with other tourists during the bathing session. The two elephants suddenly began fighting, and despite repeated attempts by the mahouts to intervene, the clash continued for nearly 15 minutes before the situation could be brought under control.
Elephant Marthanda Also Dead
Marthanda, who sustained severe internal injuries during the fight, succumbed on Tuesday, 20 May. Veterinarians treating the elephant stated that excessive blood loss is suspected to have critically affected its cardiac function. Sources said Marthanda collapsed during the attack and was unable to rise, leaving it vulnerable to sustained injury.
Sakrebyle Camp: Escalating Restrictions
At the Sakrebyle Elephant Camp, located near Gajanur in Shivamogga taluk along the backwaters of the Tunga reservoir, authorities initially banned only direct interaction and bathing activities while permitting distant viewing. Officials have since escalated the restriction to a complete ban on tourist entry until new Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are formally implemented.
The camp is one of Karnataka's most visited wildlife tourism sites, drawing visitors from across the state for elephant interaction experiences — the very activities that are now under scrutiny.
Dubare Camp Also Shut
The Dubare Elephant Camp has been closed to tourists since the incident, with authorities imposing a complete prohibition on visitor entry. Both closures are described as precautionary, with no official timeline given for reopening pending the framing of revised safety guidelines.
What Comes Next
Forest and wildlife officials are expected to draw up new SOPs governing tourist proximity to captive elephants, particularly during bathing and interaction sessions. The twin closures signal a broader reassessment of safety norms at Karnataka's elephant camps — a sector that has expanded rapidly in recent years without a corresponding update to visitor safety frameworks. How quickly the revised guidelines are finalised will determine when, and under what conditions, these camps reopen.
Point of View
Yet SOPs governing safe distances and mahout-to-elephant ratios appear to have lagged behind the commercial expansion of these camps. The death of both a tourist and the elephant underscores that the current framework failed on multiple fronts simultaneously. The real question is whether the forthcoming SOPs will be enforceable and independently audited, or whether they will become another paper exercise shelved until the next tragedy.
NationPress
5 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has the Sakrebyle Elephant Camp been closed?
The Sakrebyle Elephant Camp near Shivamogga has been closed as a precautionary measure following the fatal elephant clash at the Dubare Elephant Camp on 19 May 2025. Authorities suspended all tourist access until revised safety Standard Operating Procedures are put in place.
What happened at the Dubare Elephant Camp?
Two captive elephants, Marthanda and Kanjan, began fighting while tourists were participating in a bathing session on 19 May 2025. S. Junese, a 33-year-old tourist from Chennai, was killed when Marthanda fell on her; her husband Joyal was seriously injured. Mahouts were unable to stop the clash, which lasted nearly 15 minutes.
Did the elephant Marthanda survive?
No. Marthanda died on 20 May 2025, a day after the incident. Veterinarians said excessive blood loss is suspected to have critically affected the elephant's heart function after it sustained severe internal injuries during the clash.
Is the Dubare Elephant Camp also closed?
Yes. The Dubare Elephant Camp in Madikeri district has been fully closed to tourists following the incident, with authorities imposing a complete ban on visitor entry until further notice.
When will the elephant camps reopen?
No official reopening date has been announced. Both the Sakrebyle and Dubare camps will remain closed until forest and wildlife authorities finalise and implement revised safety guidelines and SOPs governing tourist interaction with captive elephants.
