An elephant male calf carcass was recovered in the Kandhberini forest of Talcher forest range in Angul district. Forest officials suspect the death occurred because the calf might have been attacked by another elephant.
However, they also did not rule out electrocution as a cause. It may be noted here that on October 24 last, another elephant calf’s dead body too had been recovered in Athamallik forest division. A majority of elephant calf death cases have been reported in Talcher forest range in last ten years, said sources. The elephant body was found lying in the spot with its feet stuck to the mud. The unpleasant incident came to light after the local inhabitants sighted the carcass in the forest and informed the local forest range officer.
On being informed, Talcher range officer Ananta Padhan with staff members reached the spot and inquired the matter. The post mortem of the body was conducted and later it was buried at the same spot. Meanwhile, Angul honorary wildlife warden Prassana Kumar Behera has demanded proper investigation in cases of pachyderm death.