Keonjhar: A female elephant and a newborn calf were found dead in a forest in Odisha’s Keonjhar on Monday.
According to sources, the people of Kuliapala village under Kalapata reserve forest in the district felt a strong foul smell coming from the forest near the village and informed the Forest officials on suspicion of wild animal’s death.
A team of forest officials, led by Jadumani Rana, the forester of Talapada under Keonjhar forest division, launched a search operation in the forest and found the carcasses of a female elephant and the calf. On being informed by the team, Telkoi Ranger Shivaji Mohan Rao and Keonjhar DFO Dhamdhere Dhanraj Hanumant went to the spot.
Though the Forest officials could not confirm the cause of the death of the two elephants from initial investigation, they suspected that the female elephant might have died after giving birth to her baby. They estimated that they might have died 10-15 days back.
The cause of the elephants’ death would be known after post-mortem, they said adding that veterinary doctor would come to the spot for the purpose.
