BERHAMPUR: A day after its discovery, the skeleton of an elephant calf was buried near Gayaganda under Tarasingh range of Ganjam’s North Ghumusur division following forensic examination on Monday.
The skeletal remains of the calf were found in Paichalia forest on Sunday. A goat herder first spotted the skeleton while grazing his livestock in the forest and alerted villagers. On being informed, forest personnel reached the spot and conducted preliminary inspection.
On Monday, a team of forest officials and veterinary experts visited the spot for detailed examination. After completing the necessary procedures, the skeletal remains were buried near the site.
Divisional forest officer (DFO) Himanshu Sekhar Mohanty said preliminary observations suggest that the flesh of the dead elephant may have been consumed by leopards and other wild carnivores. The carcass is believed to be two months old. He said samples of skin, bones and tooth were collected and sent to OUAT, Bhubaneswar for laboratory analysis to ascertain the cause of death.
Wildlife experts, who examined the remains, suspect that the skeleton is that of a female elephant calf. Officials said an investigation has been launched under the supervision of DFO Mohanty along with assistant conservator of forests (ACF) Bimal Kumar Pradhan and ranger Prashant Behera.
Meanwhile, the discovery of the skeletal remains that remained unnoticed for nearly two months has sparked questions about the effectiveness of forest surveillance in a region where elephant mortality remains a sensitive issue.
On May 9, an 11-year-old male elephant had reportedly died due to illness near Gayaganda. Similarly, a tusker was found dead in Bhogara forest near Gayaganda-Kadaligada villages on March 10. Another elephant calf had also died in Paichalia forest.