Dhurbe

Dhurbe (Nepali: धुर्बे) is a wild male elephant in Chitwan National Park of Nepal that killed 16 people and destroyed more than 50 houses in a span of four years from 2009 to 2012. It is considered one of the most notorious elephant in the world. Contact with the elephant was lost in 2013 but it has subsequently reappeared from time to time. The elephant is named after a soldier whom it killed.

Dhurbe

Dhurbe spotted inside the Park
Species	Elephas maximus (Asian elephant)
Sex	Male
Born	Chitwan, Nepal
Nationality	Nepal
Known for	Notorious behaviour

After the initial attacks, the elephant was radio-collared to track its movements, but the radio stopped working after a few weeks. When the elephant killed more people in 2012 officials declared it as a mad elephant and decided to hunt and kill it. 93 soldiers from the Nepal Army and Chitwan National Parks were mobilized to kill the elephant but they could not locate it. Later, the officials claimed that Dhurbe was injured but ran away and survived.

Dhurbe next appeared in 2018. It 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 its movement. In April 2021, Dhurbe attacked a survey team who were counting rhinos. There were no serious casualties, but the survey was disrupted. In October 2021, he reappeared and was accompanied by a female elephant. In December 2023, in Chitwan National Park, a radio transmitter was installed in its collar for the third time.

In January 2024, Dhurbe was again reported to be terrorizing local homes near Chitwan National Park. 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.

Conservationist views and critiques

Dhurbe attacks chart

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. 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. As a mitigation strategy, conservation experts recommend enhanced fencing, early-warning systems, corridor restoration, and community-based relocation or land-use planning to address root ecological pressures — instead of lethal control.

According to the conservation NGO WWF Nepal and other stakeholders, Asian elephants play a critical role as “umbrella” or keystone species. Their ecological functions — such as seed dispersal and maintenance of forest structure — are vital for maintaining biodiversity, forest regeneration, and ecosystem health. Moreover, loss of these elephants and their habitat could compromise the long-term viability of Nepal’s wild elephant population, estimated at roughly 200–250 individuals. Critics of purely preservation-centric approaches argue that such positions sometimes understate risks to human safety. Human–elephant conflict (HEC) remains a serious challenge: one recent survey in the buffer zones of the Parsa‑Chitwan Complex documented frequent crop raids by elephants, especially during harvesting seasons. The overall landscape-level data supports that habitat loss and fragmentation — by forcing elephants into human-use areas — exacerbate conflict likelihood.

While relocation and habitat restoration are frequently promoted as humane alternatives, long-term studies suggest that habitat fragmentation and human-dominated landscapes often hinder success. The 2021 study of forest cover change documented a 21.5 % loss of elephant habitat in the primary range between 1930 and 2020, with a dramatic reduction in large forest cores, replaced by fragmented patches — a trend linked to increasing overlap between elephant movement zones and human activities. This fragmentation increases the risk that elephants — including solitary or wide-ranging males — will enter human-use areas, undermining both conservation and human safety. Some critics further contend that the narratives of large conservation organizations may prioritize global ecological or donor-driven imperatives over localized human costs, thus potentially perpetuating cycles of funding rather than implementing pragmatic, community-oriented solutions. While genetic and biodiversity arguments remain valid, unmanaged rogue individuals or repeated conflict may erode local community tolerance — a base condition for sustainable large-mammal conservation in human-dominated landscapes.

Popular culture

Dhurbe

The Dhurbe elephant 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. 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.

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. BBC has also reported on the behaviour of the elephant.

See also

• List of individual elephants

External links

• Dhurbe