Keonjhar: Tension ran high among animal lovers here after a decomposed carcass of a female elephant was found in Gayalmunda forest under Ghatagaon forest range in Keonjhar district late Wednesday night.
The matter came to the fore after locals on their way to collect firewood spotted the carcass and alerted forest officials. Based on the information of the locals, forest officials reached the village and recovered the carcass.
On being informed, a veterinary team reached the spot later in the night and launched a probe into the matter. During the examination, it was ascertained that the female elephant was pregnant at the time of death.
While the death of the elephant is suspected to have happened due to anthrax infection, the actual cause will be ascertained after the post-mortem report arrives, forest officials said, Thursday.