Bardiya, April 1 -- The bond between elephants and their caretakers in Bardiya National Park has taken a tragic turn, as two experienced handlers have lost their lives to domesticated park elephants within the last four years.

The most recent fatality occurred on March 28, when a 43-year-old handler Gangaram Tharu was crushed to death by an elephant named Kumar Gaj. Gangaram, who had served as a phanait (a senior handler) on a contract basis for a decade, was attacked while bathing the animal by a river.

"He (Gangaram) was responsible for feeding, grazing, and bathing the elephant, yet the animal turned on him," said Sarojmani Paudel, information officer at Bardiya National Park. This follows a similar tragedy in April 2021, when 35-yea...