SAMBALPUR/ATHAGARH: An elephant died after falling into a pit in San Phiringimal village under Garposh forest section in Bamra wildlife division on Wednesday night. The female elephant was pregnant.
Deputy Range Officer of Bamra, Biswanath Meher said the elephant had strayed into the village to eat ripe paddy crops and fell into the pit in an agricultural field. It could not come out of the pit and died there.
Villagers spotted the carcass on Thursday morning and informed forest officials.
Meher said the elephant was around aged about 25 years. The carcass was buried after autopsy.
In Athagarh, amid allegations of poaching, an ailing tusker died this week. While locals alleged that the tusker was shot at by poachers in Barsingha section under Narsinghpur west range some days back, forest officials informed the block veterinary officer Bijay Kumar Senapati that the animal was affected by herpes virus.
They called Senapati for treating the elephant but it died on Monday and the veterinarian conducted its postmortem.
Reason behind the animal’s death can be ascertained only after receipt of autopsy report.
Forest officials took possession of the elephant’s two tusks of 1.5 ft each after postmortem.