ANGUL/BARIPADA: After spending nearly 36 hours in a truck, a 45-year-old tranquilised tusker relocated from Angul forest division was finally released in a protective area in Talbandh wildlife range within Similipal (north) wildlife division on Friday.
An alleged communication gap between two forest divisions was resolved following an order from the principal chief conservator of forest (PCCF) (wildlife) office on the day.
On Thursday, hundreds of residents in Satkosia range area strongly protested the animal’s arrival and gheraoed the range office when the Forest department made an attempt to release the tusker in Similipal. The Similipal authorities claimed that no communication over the elephant’s release was received.
However, Angul DFO Nitish Kumar refuted the claims that the matter was not intimated. The relocation decision was taken as per the direction of PCCF (wildlife) and counterparts in Baripada circle were informed about the decision and transportation, he added.
However, there was still no clarity on the number of human deaths caused by the tusker as the Angul division provided confusing figures. While Angul DFO confirmed one death, unofficial report and subordinate staff put the death toll at seven in Bantala and Angul Sadar range.
Slamming the Forest department for its ham-handed approach to relocation of the tusker, wildlife activist Prasanna Behera said there was no proper communications between Angul and Baripada circles due to which the animal got stuck in the truck for over day. “A scheduled and sensitive animal should not have been treated like this,” he added.
Behera said no proper study was conducted by any expert biologist on the alleged aggressive behaviour of the tusker in the area.
Requesting anonymity, an officer said the tusker will be given treatment and its activities closely monitored for the next few days. If there are positive changes in its behavior, then the animal will be released into the forest in the north division of Similipal. The elephant is healthy and necessary treatments are being provided, he said.
The tusker separated from its herd for over a month had created havoc in Bantala and Angul Sadar ranges. It destroyed crops and killed people following which the decision to tranquilise and relocate was taken.
