Trainee veterinary officer dies in hippopotamus attack in Tyavarekoppa Safari in Shivamogga

A 27-year-old veterinary officer under training died after she suffered serious injuries following attacked by hippopotamus at Tyavarekoppa Lion and Tiger Safari in Shivamogga.

Dr. Sameeksha Reddy, a native of Bengaluru, had been recently recruited as a trainee veterinary officer at the safari. She had been entrusted with the responsibility of monitoring the health condition of two ailing sun conure birds. She was at the veterinary hospital around 10.30 p.m. on Thursday (March 19, 2026).

Later, she decided to check the body temperature of pregnant hippopotamus. While she was checking the temperature using non-invasive infrared thermography, the animal suddenly attacked her.

The staff of the safari shifted her to a private hospital in Shivamogga. She had suffered deep wounds, excessive bleeding and damage to liver, which led to cardiac arrest, according of official sources. She succumbed to injuries around 6.30 a.m. on Friday (March 20, 2026).

According to officials, she was undergoing training as veterinary office and there was another 45 days of training period.S.K. Dinesh

Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre has mourned the death of the veterinary officer and instructed officials to ensure standard operating procedures are followed strictly to avoid such incidents.

He has also asked officers to constitute a team of officials to investigate the incident and submit a report.