Post News Network
Bhapur, Jan 3: Two days after a tusker was electrocuted near Bruti under Purunakote police limits in Angul district, a female elephant was found dead near Kalika Prasad Matia Mundia under Dhenkanal range Saturday.
The animal is aged about five to six years. Preliminary investigation revealed that the animal might have died of prolonged illness. But the kind of disease it was suffering from was not known, forest officials said.
DFO Pradip Kumar Sahu visited the spot while its post-mortem was carried out in the presence of ranger Bibhuti Bhusan Patnaik, forester Jajnadat Pati and assistant conservator of forest Jitendra Kumar Das. The carcass was later buried.
Sources said a piece of the animal’s flesh was found in its dung near a nullah. It is suspected that the disease could be linked to intestinal infection.
Despite protective measures taken by the wildlife wing, elephants continue to die in various parts of the state. Apart from natural causes, elephants are falling prey to poachers who are adopting various methods to hunt the pachyderms.
The tusker which was found electrocuted near Bruti was suspected to be a victim of poachers. The animal had come in contact with a livewire hooked from an 11-kv transmission line laid by poachers. Two dogs were also found electrocuted under similar circumstances in the neighbourhood.
Jumbo herd flattens crops
Balipadar: Adding to the woes of farmers affected by the recent unseasonal rain, a herd of marauding elephants has flattened acres of crops here in Ganjam district. More than eight elephants from Ratighai at the foothills of Tangra and Kumarsundi in Buguda range have unleashed a reign of terror in several villages, said forest officials. The herd reportedly destroyed five acres of crops of Narendra Khatera at Mangalpur village Saturday. This left Narendra devastated as he had raised the crops after borrowing from private moneylenders. Irate over the nuisance, locals demanded immediate steps to drive away the herd and compensation to affected farmers. PNN