In the latest instance of pachyderm fatality, two wild elephants, an adult female species besides a calf, were found dead near Raba village under Bhuyan Juang Pidha (BJP) Range in Odisha’s Keonjhar district, officials said on Tuesday.
A probe has been initiated to ascertain the exact cause of elephants’ death. We are waiting for the autopsy report before arriving at any definite conclusion, said Keonjhar Divisional Forest Officer, Swayam Mallick.
The carcasses of the elephants were first spotted by locals who later informed the forest department this morning. The veterinary surgeons have rushed to the spot for conducting post mortem of the carcasses. The cause of the death would be known after post-mortem, the forest officials said, adding that it did not appear to be a case of poaching.
Odisha is home to 1976 elephants as per the latest headcount of these mammals while Keonjhar district houses 50 wild elephants.
Of the 43 forest divisions in the State, as many as 37 divisions were found housing elephants. Similipal elephant reserve is home to the highest number of 330 elephants followed by Dhenkanal division (169).
It may be recalled here that four elephants were electrocuted in Dhenkanal, Ganjam and Angul districts in the last one month. On 15 June, a female elephant had perished after coming in contact with live wire in Jagannathpur village in Angul forest division. Besides, a tusker and a female elephant were also electrocuted in Ganjam and Dhenkanal districts during the first week of June. An adult tusker died of electrocution in Talagarh forested areas under Baantala forest range of Angul district on 9 July after the animal had come in contact with live wire.