BARIPADA: Recovery of carcasses of two elephant calves in Mayurbhanj’s Baripada territorial forest division in the last 24 hours has raised concern among wildlife experts. A day after carcass of a calf was found in Kaptipada range within Similipal National Park, another baby elephant was found dead in Jafri forest on Monday.
Locals who had gone to collect sal leaves, spotted the calf’s carcass in Jafri forest, a few kilometres from Similipal. Divisional forest officer (DFO) of Baripada Santosh Kumar Joshi said he was informed about the recovery of the carcass at around 11.30 pm. Immediately, forest personnel from Bangiriposi range rushed to the spot.
The calf is around two-month-old. A herd of elephants from Similipal in Mayurbhanj district and another from Jharkhand are roaming in the forests of Bangiriposi and nearby ranges. It is suspected that the calf was trampled to death during a fight among the members of an elephant herd, the DFO said.
Veterinary teams from Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) and Bangiriposi performed autopsy following which the carcass was buried in presence of forest officials. The exact reason behind the calf’s death can be ascertained after the autopsy report arrives, Joshi added.
On Sunday, forest dwellers had found the carcass of a five-month-old elephant calf while collecting mushrooms in Nato forest. After visiting the spot and examining the carcass, forest officials suspected that the male calf was killed due to infighting among elephants.