SAMBALPUR: In a rare and heartwarming incident, two male elephants swam across the deep waters of the Hirakud Dam reservoir, making their way into the Debrigarh wildlife sanctuary from Jharsuguda district.
The incident, which took place earlier this week, occurred amidst rising water levels at the dam, consistently over 600 feet, adding to the remarkable nature of the journey.
The two sub-adult elephants, aged around 12 to 15 years, swam approximately 2 kilometre before entering the Dechuan Reserve Forest near Patharseni Temple in Bargarh. They eventually walked into the sanctuary, likely in search of food, particularly bamboo, which is abundant in Debrigarh.
Divisional forest officer (DFO), Wildlife, Anshu Pragyan Das, explained that elephants are adept swimmers, using their trunks as snorkels to breathe while submerged. “Elephants have been known to travel long distances in this manner,” she added. Forest officials are closely monitoring the elephants to ensure their safety within the sanctuary. The monsoon patrolling team, which includes over 150 squads and around 50 frontline staff members, is working round the clock to protect the elephants from poaching and other dangers.
The team employs metal detectors to locate traps and uses trap cameras to track movement. “Despite the challenges posed by monsoon, the staff are ensuring that the elephants remain safe from poaching or any other form of attack and roam freely in the wild,” she said.
This event is reminiscent of a similar incident in 2022, when 14 elephants crossed the Bargarh canal and entered Debrigarh from Sambalpur district, where they remained for nearly six months. Prior to that, elephants were recorded for the last time in the sanctuary until 2017 and were continuously present for nearly 10 years before that.