Bhubaneswar/Baripada: Amid growing concern over jumbo fatalities, deaths of two elephant calves were reported from different parts of Odisha. While in the first case, an elephant calf died in Chandaka Wildlife Sanctuary Sunday night, the carcass of a second calf was recovered in Similipal Sanctuary Monday by Forest department personnel. Officials informed that a three-year-old elephant calf was undergoing treatment at the ChandakaDampada Sanctuary’s elephant training centre. However, despite the treatment provided by veterinarians from Nandankanan and OUAT, the baby elephant breathed its last Sunday night.
As the calf was unable to eat or drink, he was being given saline, Chandaka DFO Sarat Chandra Behera said. In a separate development, Forest personnel Monday recovered the carcass of a male jumbo calf from the South forest division area of Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) in Mayurbhanj district. The calf aged about one year was found with a wound on its anus. Preliminary inquiry indicated that the calf died 3-4 days back due to infection in the wound on its anus, STR Field Director and Regional Chief Conservator of Forests Prakash Chand Gogineni said.
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With the deaths of the two calves, Odisha has lost more than 40 elephants between April 1 and August 31. The state had reported 66 elephant deaths in 2023- 24, one of the lowest in the last five years. Statistics reveal that this year’s elephant deaths have been recorded in 15 forest and wildlife divisions. Four jumbos breathed their last in Angul division, the highest among the forest ranges. Athagarh, Balasore, Baripada, Dhenkanal, Kalahandi North, Keonjhar, Sambalpur, Satkosia, Similipal North and Similipal South are other divisions that recorded at least two elephant deaths. Accidental and deliberate electrocutions resulted in the deaths of 16 elephants while five died in road or railway accidents.