Elephants Stray From Odisha’s Ganjam, Wreak Havoc In Andhra

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Berhampur: Efforts are on to bring back a herd of 12 elephants which has strayed from Odisha to Andhra Pradesh where they have damaged crops.

According to Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Berhampur Amlan Nayak, the herd including a tusker and five to six calves strayed into Andhra from Chikiti in Ganjam district on December 25 night.

Andhra’s Srikakulam DFO Sandip Krupakar Gundal said the herd has wreaked havoc in Burjapadu, Edupuram and KSpuram villages under Ichhapuram mandalam. Since the elephants have damaged crop in paddy fields and cashew orchards, the villagers were trying to push them back into Odisha territory, he added.

Nayak said, “The pachyderms entered Ichhapur in Andhra from Pitatali Square in Krushna Nagar of Chikiti by crossing the railway line. We followed the herd throughout and have contacted our Andhra counterparts. The Forest staff of both states are on high alert and are keeping a watch on their movement. We are in constant touch with Srikakulam DFO.”

“Since there are a large number of open wells in Krushna Nagar, we have heightened surveillance as those can be the death traps for the calves during the movemen of the herd,” the DFO said.

A tusker and a female elephant, who have separated from the herd which originally had 14 members, are now in Seragada area, he added.

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