Another Jumbo Death In Odisha

Angul: A day after a jumbo carcass was exhumed from Athagarh, a calf was found dead at Satkosia Kusakhali forest in Odisha’s Angul district on Tuesday.

It is being alleged that the 5-year-old tusker, who had been ailing for the last 10 days, died due to a delay in treatment. “Blood sample has been sent for test to ascertain the cause of death,” Satokosia Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Saroj Panda said.

According to sources, the calf could be provided treatment only on Monday as it was earlier surrounded by a herd of elephants. But it died late last night.

On Monday, skeletons of an elephant were also found in Mandap reserve forest of Kusapal beat in Gopapur section, by SIT members, who were on a spot visit to the area to investigate the recovery of three carcasses, two male and a female, by the Special Task Force of Crime Branch and Forest officials earlier this month.

This was the fifth elephant carcass recovered from Athagarh area this year, while one was exhumed from Jilinda range of Satkosia Wildlife Division, close to Narasinghpur area of the division on June 24.

On June 15,  the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change sought an action taken report from Odisha Forest Department regarding a male elephant, who succumbed to gunshot injuries in Athagarh forest division of Cuttack district.