BHUBANESWAR: Amid reports of alleged killing and burial of jumbos in Athagarh forest division and its periphery, an ailing female elephant calf died in Satkosia wildlife division due to suspected hookworm infection.
The calf, aged about 4-year-old, died at Kushakhali forest under Tikarpada forest range of Satkosia while undergoing treatment. Satkosia DFO Saroj Panda said the calf was found in an ailing condition in Kushakhali jungle on Saturday. She was weak and was walking very slowly, the DFO said.
After being administered saline and medicines on Sunday, she was moving in the forest patch. However, her body was spotted on Tuesday morning. “Postmortem found the elephant to be anemic. The parasitic load in her body was also found to be high. Blood samples of the deceased calf have been sent to OUAT to ascertain the exact cause of the death,” the DFO said. He added that there were no injury marks on her body.