Dhurbe
 Dhurbe spotted in Chitwan National Park | |
| Species | Elephas maximus (Asian elephant) |
|---|---|
| Sex | Male |
| Born | Chitwan, Nepal |
| Nationality | Nepal |
| Known for | Attacks on humans and property |
Dhurbe (Nepali: धुर्बे) is a wild male elephant in Chitwan National Park, Nepal. Between 2009 and 2026, he was reported to have killed 25 people and destroyed more than 50 houses.[1][2] Named after a soldier he killed, Dhurbe is considered one of the most notorious wild elephants in the world.[3][4]
After the initial attacks from 2009 to 2012, Dhurbe was radio-collared to track his movements, but the radio stopped working after a few weeks. When the elephant killed more people in 2012 officials declared him as a mad elephant and decided to hunt and kill him. 93 soldiers from the Nepal Army and Chitwan National Parks were mobilized to kill the elephant but they could not locate him.[5] Later, the officials claimed that Dhurbe was injured but ran away and survived.[6]
Dhurbe next appeared in 2018. He broke into the army post of Chitwan National Park at Tirthamankali and took a female elephant with him. At the same time, Dhurbe attacked and injured a male elephant named Paras Gaj. In 2020, Dhurbe was radio collared again to track his movement.[7] In April 2021, Dhurbe attacked a survey team who were counting rhinos. There were no casualties, but the survey was disrupted.[7] In October 2021, he reappeared and was accompanied by a female elephant.[8] In December 2023, in Chitwan National Park, a radio transmitter was installed in his collar for the third time.[9]
In January 2024, Dhurbe was again reported to be terrorizing local homes near Chitwan National Park.[10] In September 2025, the elephant again demolished local homes. Although no human casualties were reported, the incident caused significant property damage and renewed concerns over human–wildlife conflict in the region.[11]
2026 attack
[edit]On 4 July 2026, Dhurbe attacked a house in Jagatpur, Bharatpur Metropolitan City, Chitwan, killing Ashika Bote and her four-year-old son, Bharat Bote. The victims belonged to the same family whose two members had previously been killed by Dhurbe in 2012, meaning four members of the same family have now been killed by the elephant over a span of 14 years. The incident renewed concerns over human–elephant conflict in Nepal and received widespread national and international media coverage.[12][13]
The attack was Dhurbe's first recorded fatal attack since 2017 and increased the elephant's confirmed human death toll to 25 since 2010. Following the killings, local residents staged protests and blocked roads, demanding immediate action from the government and wildlife authorities. Protesters called for stronger measures to protect communities living around Chitwan National Park, while some demanded that Dhurbe be captured or euthanised to prevent further fatalities.[14]
Conservationist views and critiques
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Conservationists and wildlife experts have opposed the culling of individual "rogue" elephants such as Dhurbe, arguing that such actions violate ethical standards and international agreements protecting endangered species, including Nepal's commitments under the CITES. In Nepal, the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) is legally protected under the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1973.[15] Researchers assert that aggressive behaviour in elephants often arises from habitat loss and fragmentation — caused by human expansion and agricultural encroachment — rather than “rogue” traits.[16]
Popular culture
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Dhurbe has become a widely recognized figure in Nepalese media. Local newspapers and television channels have repeatedly reported on its activities since the early 2010s, often portraying it as both a threat and a symbol of the challenges of human–wildlife coexistence.[17] The elephant has also been referenced in local folklore and conversations as a notorious character, making it one of the most infamous wild elephants in modern Nepal.[18]
A 2014 documentary titled Mahout – The Great Elephant Walk in Nepal was released, focusing on elephants and their mahouts in the southern plains of Nepal. While the film does not specifically feature Dhurbe, it highlights the cultural importance of elephants and the traditions of elephant keeping in the region, providing context for the broader human–elephant relationship in which Dhurbe's story is situated.[19] BBC has also reported on the behaviour of the elephant.[20]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ "Violent elephant Dhurbe claims lives of a mother and son after 9 years - OnlineKhabar English News". 5 July 2026. Retrieved 12 July 2026.
- ↑ "How a rogue elephant shattered one family's lives twice, over 14 years". The Times of India. 15 July 2026. Retrieved 15 July 2026.
- ↑ Duncan, Andrew (6 March 2021). "On the road in West Nepal". Retrieved 27 October 2021.
- ↑ "The Same Wild Elephant Has Killed Four Members of One Family Over 14 Years". Vice. 10 July 2026. Retrieved 10 July 2026.
- ↑ "Nepali Gov't officials divided over how to deal with killer elephant | THEAsiaN". 8 January 2013. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
- ↑ Rijal, Prahlad (15 April 2018). "Lovesick wild tusker-Dhrube elopes with female elephant". The Himalayan Times. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
- 1 2 "Rhino census in Chitwan affected after a wild elephant attacks counting team (Nepal)". Rhino Review. 6 April 2021. Archived from the original on 27 October 2021. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
- ↑ "Dhurbe spotted in Chitwan National Park". Retrieved 27 October 2021.
- ↑ "११ वर्षमा 'ध्रुवे' हात्तीको गलामा तेस्रो रेडियो कलर". Retrieved 11 December 2023.
- ↑ "Dhurbe causing havoc again, locals terrified". Public Service Broadcasting, Radio Nepal. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
- ↑ "Dhrube elephant demolishes four houses in Chitwan". MyRepublica. 28 September 2025. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- ↑ "Violent elephant Dhurbe claims lives of a mother and son after 9 years". OnlineKhabar. 5 July 2026.
- ↑ Muzaffar, Maroosha (14 July 2026). "'Nowhere left for us to run': Same wild elephant returns to village to kill four members of a family over 14 years". The Independent. Retrieved 15 July 2026.
- ↑ "Dhurbe, the rogue elephant that followed a family for 14 years". The Kathmandu Post. 6 July 2026.
- ↑ NTNC – Asian Elephant species page
- ↑ Ram, A.K. et al. (2021). “Tracking forest loss and fragmentation between 1930 and 2020 in Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) range in Nepal.” *Scientific Reports* 11, 19514.
- ↑ "Fearsome 'Dhrube' elephant back in Chitwan". The Kathmandu Post. 18 February 2013. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- ↑ "Dhrube elephant terror continues". MyRepublica. 5 March 2012. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- ↑ Black Tomato: "Mahout – The Great Elephant Walk in Nepal"
- ↑ "धुर्बे र रोनाल्डो: चितवनका विवादित जंगली हात्ती" (in Nepali). BBC Nepali. 13 August 2019.
External links
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