ANGUL: A four-month-old female elephant wandered the streets after being separated from her herd under Chhendipada forest range in the district on Wednesday night.Despite all efforts by forest officials, the elephant is wandering in Dhenkapal and Nuagaon villages without going to nearby forest where the herd is staying. Forest officials hoped that the elephant kid will go back to her herd in the night.
According to Range Officer Durga Sahu, a herd of about 10 elephants came to Nuagaon village last night. As it was raining, the elephant kid got separated from her mother and herd. She was left in the village while others went away. “Since then, she has been wandering relentlessly, but not venturing into the jungle due to crowd. She appeared to be weak and is being provided water,” said Sahu. He said the animal is being monitored and will be sent back to nearby forest where her herd is staying. “We expect the herd may come to her in the night,” he added.
Elephant menace in Digapahandi
Berhampur: Over 200 families of several village under Digapahandi forest range have been spending sleepless nights for the last three days after two herds of elephants sneaked into the area. While a herd of eight elephants destroyed mango orchard in Sahaspur area, another herd of five tuskers went on a rampage spree damaging orchards and crops in Bharasa and Godabadi villages. Villagers, including women in different groups, are guarding their orchards in the night to save mango trees from elephant attacks. The elephants were last seen in Lakhari forest areas. Locals said that this year, the mango growers had hoped bumper harvest, but the marauding elephants switching their habitation corridors to mango orchards in the forested areas destroyed their crops. On being informed, forest officials rushed to the areas and sounded alert requesting villagers to remain vigilant. Forest guards have been deployed to drive away the elephants from orchards to forest.