BHUBANESWAR : IN yet another incident highlighting the rising man-animal conflict, a 15-year-old elephant that had sustained grievous injuries after chewing food stuffed with explosives at Bharatpur forest under Chandaka wildlife sanctuary succumbed on Monday night.
Forest officials said the elephant was being attended by a team of veterinarians from Nandankanan Zoological Park and Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT).
Speaking to mediapersons on Tuesday, principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF-wildlife) Susanta Nanda said a herd comprising two males, three females and a calf had entered the forest from Khurda. “One of the male elephants was spotted in Chandaka 15 days back. He most possibly chewed some food item in which an explosive was stuffed by miscreants to kill wild boars,” he said.
The explosion had left the tusker’s tongue severed and teeth broken. Its condition was serious and despite prompt treatment by the veterinary team, it could not be saved. A postmortem is being conducted as per procedure, Nanda said. Forest officials said the ailing tusker was spotted a few days back. On Monday, the herd was not very close to him when the veterinarians began treatment. “The jumbo was possibly injured about 15 days back. Due to severe burn injuries and mandibular fracture, he was not able to eat and had become very weak. Despite our best efforts, he could not be saved,” said Dr Indramani Nath, professor and head of surgery and radiology department, OUAT.
Forest officials said they will conduct an inquiry to track the region where the tusker possibly consumed the food stuffed with explosives. “Once the area is identified, an awareness drive will be conducted to sensitise locals to avoid such acts which could harm or kill the elephants,” they added. They said food materials are often stuffed with explosives to kill wild boars especially those raiding crops. It is being suspected the elephant might have chewed the food stuffed with explosives, that was meant to target wild boars.