It’s official now. The herd of the rampaging elephants has one pregnant elephant. DFO Core of the tiger reserve Anil Kumar Mishra has confirmed the presence of a pregnant elephant in the herd which is leaving behind a trail of destruction in parts of Satbarwa, Polpole, Betla and Barwadeeh.
This herd went as far as Sagalim in Panki and everyone thought this herd would go on to Balumath for its onward journey to Chhatisgarh but on Friday, the herd retreated and has again reached some parts of Satbarwa, added DFO Core. Mishra said the herd on Friday is not very far off from Sagalim petrol pump!
Mishra told The Pioneer ‘ The pregnant elephant is in its advanced stage. The aggression of other male elephants in the herd is because of this. The elephants are looking for a private and noise free location for this pregnant one to deliver the calf’.
Asked what is the probable date of delivery to which DFO Core said, “We cannot predict. But the way this pregnant elephant is moving around and the other male ones have become protective of her it looks the unborn one may come to this world in three to four weeks time.” Pregnant elephant for the bulk of weight takes shorter steps and walks little as a result the herd too gets slow in its pace.
The herd has not only one pregnant elephant. It has three calves (baby elephant) too. Mishra said as per our tiger reserve personnel’s version there are just three calves. However he added villagers put this number to five. He said this is simply because the villagers fail to distinguish the age of a calf and the age of a sub adult elephant. A sub adult elephant is taken for a calf he reiterated.
Sources said the herd of this elephant has reached barely 10 to 11 kms away from the town Daltonganj.
Asked if there is any chance of these jumbos coming down to Daltonganj DFO Core did not rule it out any strongly saying, “This is true the herd is not quite far off from Daltonganj but I have been assured by the officials of the North forest division that they are doing all to stop the passage of this herd of elephant to enter the town Daltonganj.”
The herd has uprooted an iron gate of a Government primary school at Kulpurwa. The school teachers have been asked by the tiger reserve officials to either seek compensation from the PTR or to knock at the door of the DSE Palamu but in no case fiscal relief/compensation is to come from two Government institutions the PTR and the Government education department clarified Mishra. Sources said this is the first Government school in 10 years time which has been destroyed/damaged by any herd of elephant.