The Bhutanese Leading the way.
A 33-year-old woman from Chongsamling Chiwog in Lhamoi Dzingkha Gewog, Dagana, was killed by an elephant on the night of 13th February near Nautali, close to the Sheti Khola culvert bridge. She was returning home alone when the incident occurred.
According to local sources, the victim had traveled to Karmaling Gewog in the morning for some work, taking a bus at 7:30 am. Later in the day, she was in Kalikhola before heading home.
The Royal Bhutan Police (RBP) in Dagana confirmed that the attack occurred between 10–11 pm, and the woman succumbed to severe injuries, including head trauma, hip and joint dislocation, and a right femur fracture.
Her body was only discovered the next morning by her family while they were on their way to drop off school-going children. Authorities, including police and medical officials, were then called to the scene.
The area where the attack took place is known to be elephant-infested, according to both local leaders and law enforcement. Gup Suraj Bahadur Limboo said that on the same night, a tshogpa had encountered elephants around 8:40 pm while returning home to Nautali. He immediately called for help and managed to chase the elephants away.
However, just a few hours later, the victim crossed paths with another elephant and was fatally attacked.
Lhamoi Dzingkha Mangmi Lauxman Koirala said that the route to Nautali passes through a dense forest, though a farm road is available. Despite this, human-elephant conflicts remain a major concern for residents.
Recurring elephant attacks in Lhamoi Dzingkha
According to the Gup, this is not the first such case in Lhamoi Dzingkha Gewog. “In my seven years as a Gup, I have witnessed three deaths caused by elephants. One was an Indian national who was killed near the Kalikhola highway, followed by a woman who was attacked at her home. Now, this tragic incident marks the third fatality.
The Mangmi added that villagers have adapted to living with elephant encounters. “When we see a herd, we remain cautious and avoid disturbing them. We just let them pass by,” he said.
Local forest rangers have advised residents not to leave food out along elephant paths and have installed signboards warning against feeding wild elephants. However, the Mangmi said that despite the area being surrounded by dense forests, elephants still enter villages, particularly during the paddy and maize harvest season.
“It’s hard to say why they come at this time. Sometimes, they arrive in herds, and other times, it’s just a lone elephant which is often more dangerous,” he said.
The deceased is survived by her two children, who have been living with their father since the couple separated. She had been living with her parents and brothers after the separation.
According to report on protecting elephants by reducing their conflict with people by WildAid said that as human populations grow, said that agricultural activities expand into elephant habitats, reducing the space available for elephants to roam and find food. This forces elephants to search for food in areas where crops are grown.
Elephants need to consume a large amount of food daily (up to 450 kg). When their natural food sources become scarce, they turn to crops, which are often more accessible and abundant.
The report states that the elephants are known to enjoy certain crops like rice, maize, and groundnuts, making these crops particularly attractive to them.
Male elephants, especially those reaching reproductive age, may engage in high-risk, high-reward behaviors, such as raiding crops, to meet their increased energy demands.
