Angul: Just two days after a five-year-old tusker lost its battle for life due to a delay in treatment, another elephant calf was found dead near Nuapada village in Pampasar forest range under Satkosia wildlife sanctuary in Angul district early Thursday morning. Sources said the tusker aged about seven years was ill for the last few days. Locals had spotted the animal roaming in the forest.
They alleged that despite getting information, Forest department officials did not take any measures to ensure treatment of the calf, for which it died. While the Forest department is yet to ascertain the exact cause behind the death of two elephant calves in just three days, the incident has raised concern among the environmentalists. Worth mentioning, that a five-year-old tusker calf was found dead at Satkosia Kusakhali forest in Angul district Tuesday.
Despite treatment, it succumbed to the herpes infection it was suffering from. Similarly, the skeletal remains of a jumbo were recovered from the Mandap reserve forest in Gopapur section Badamba a few days back. This was the fifth elephant carcass recovered from Athagarh area this month.
Reacting on the issue, the Forest department Tuesday assured a thorough probe by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) into this matter. “All elephant skeletons recovered so far were found in one forest section. Action has been initiated against two foresters who are absconding. Foresters were involved in hiding elephant carcasses,” said PCCF Shashi Paul. If required, the DFO will be brought under the purview of investigation, he added.