An injured tusker has posed a serious concern for the Forest department in Baleswar district. The elephant, a member of a herd of 22 others, bears two arrow injuries, one near its ear the other near rear leg.
The herd, including three tuskers and four calves, has migrated into Baleswar district from Jharkhand via West Bengal and Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district.
It is suspected that poachers have caused the injuries to the tusker. However, the Forest department denies the hand of poachers and says that the aggrieved tribals could have attacked the herd of pachyderms for damaging their crops and vegetables.
The jumbos while camping in Baleswar, mostly in the Kuldiha sanctuary, for about 12 days during their movements are eating the leftover paddy crop in the field and vegetables. They are also intruding into the villages, mainly Balichua, Ambajhar, Hudisahi, Tiakata Chaindar, Tenda and Hatikholia.
DFO Harshbardhan Udgata said, “A two-member expert team has arrived from Bhubaneswar for the injured tusker’s treatment. The team consists of a veterinary surgeon and a wildlife activist. Although their base in the State is in Bhubaneswar yet they work under a separate wing functioning in Delhi.”
“We are keeping a close watch on the tusker. It is making brisk movements despite its injuries. We want to give some treatments to him. But the jumbo has escaped into the deep forest area in the Kuldiha sanctuary yesterday. The medicine could be administrated through fruits, etc. The tranquilising means of treatment is not advisable in the initial stage. Efforts are on to heal the wounds without causing other harms,” the DFO said.
He further said, “The tribals are still storing Handia and other alcoholic substances in their houses despite our appeals against the practice. These substances are the main ingredients to attract the elephants towards human habitations So far, the elephants have only damaged two dwelling houses.”