BHUBANESWAR: An elephant calf reportedly died of excess heat and scarcity of water at Narasinghpur in Athagarh recently.Forest officials said the calf, aged two to three years, died after it failed to reach a half dried pond in the Narasinghpur East range of Athagarh division.
“We suspect that the calf died after it failed to reach the half dried water body in the scorching heat,” said a forest official of Narasinghpur East range. He said the locality has three ponds that have partially dried up due to rise in temperature.
“The carcass of the calf was found around 100-150 feet away from one of the water bodies,” he said. Officials of the range said the body was disposed off after postmortem. While the matter raises concern over protection of the gentle giants and other wild animals in Athagarh forest during summer, senior forest officials said adequate steps are being taken to rejuvenate water bodies in all the divisions.
RCCF Angul M Yogajayanand, who had visited the spot to inquire about the incident, however, said the exact cause of the death will be ascertained after postmortem report is received. He, however, ruled out death of the calf due to water scarcity saying all ponds nearby are wet. The RCCF said steps have been taken for rejuvenation of water bodies in the forests and divisional forest officers (DFOs) asked to ensure it in their jurisdictions.