BARIPADA: A sub-adult tusker was found dead in the Betnasia Reserve Forest under the Rashgovindpur range of Baripada forest division on Saturday morning.
Forest officials discovered the carcass during routine patrolling at around 5 am. The elephant, estimated to be around seven to eight years old, had reportedly been moving with a herd of 24 elephants in the area for the past few days.
Upon receiving the information, regional chief conservator of forests and field director of Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) Prakash Chand Gogineni, along with Baripada DFO Gobinda Chandra Nayak and Rashgovindpur range staff, reached the spot.
A joint task force team from Bhubaneswar also rushed to the location to oversee the investigation.
Ranger Ghanashyam Singh said the tusker may have died due to a clash with another elephant, though no external injuries were initially visible. The tusks were found intact, and forest personnel were deployed to guard the carcass.
A veterinary team conducted the postmortem in the afternoon. Officials said the cause of death will be confirmed after receiving the detailed report. Possibilities under investigation include infighting, poisoning, or infection, as elephants are known to contract seasonal diseases during winter, they said.
Some wildlife activists alleged that the animal may have been poisoned due to rising human-elephant conflict in the region, especially after the herd reportedly damaged paddy fields over the past few nights. However, the forest department has stated that no conclusions will be drawn until the investigation is complete.
Officials added that the movement of the elephant herd is being closely monitored to prevent further conflict and crop damage.