The number of elephants in the Palamau Tiger Reserve has reduced this year. last year the number was 260, while as per the census conducted from June 1 to June 3, there are just 208 elephants roaming around the national park.
The DFO Core Premjit Anand said that there are 36 elephants in the core area whereas as per DFO Anil K Mishra, in the buffer area, the number is 172 which sum ups to 208. It means there are 52 elephants lesser than the previous counting done. The forest department though has no clear answer to it.
“I shall not be able to explain this aversion of the elephants. Counting of elephants has been done only in the 20 per cent of the 1,026 square kilometer of the tiger reserve, thus obtaining this figure,” said Anand.
Counting is done mostly in the areas where there are bamboos, as elephants staple diet is bamboo. Elephants of tiger reserve do not migrate to other district like Garhwa, Gumla etc. However tiger reserve officials will not disagree that this reserve is slowly turning into a graveyard for elephants. Half a dozen elephants have died in the past two to three years.Cases of run over of elephants by trains at Jawa railway bridge, have definitely gone down said sources in this tiger reserve.