Bhubaneswar: In a big setback for wildlife enthusiasts, an elephant of rare species was found dead in Satkosia forest on Monday.
A tusk-less elephant, who had been ailing for quite sometime, was found dead by the locals in Jukaba area of the forest. This type of elephant is generally referred to as Makhna. Forest officials, who were informed about it, are conducting an investigation, reports said.
Locals, however, held the forest officials responsible for the death of the pachyderm, alleging that they neglected his treatment. “It was unwell for long and remained confined to his place. Despite his sickness, the officials did not bother to treat him. He would have survived if proper treatment was provided to him,” the locals maintained.
Odisha is known to have only two Makhna elephants. Across the country, their presence is limited to the forests of North-East and Tamil Nadu. The Rajaji and the Corbett National Parks are home to five per cent of such elephant species.
