A young female elephant, critically injured after eating food laced with explosives, died while receiving treatment at the Similipal Tiger Reserve.
The 7‑8‑year‑old pachyderm suffered catastrophic facial wounds and a mutilated tongue, which left her unable to eat or drink.
Initially, reports revealed that a herd of 27 elephants had moved from the Betnoti forest range to Nilagiri in Balasore two weeks ago. However, on December 11, two elephants stayed behind in the Chuapada forest. The next day, villagers spotted the injured elephant and immediately alerted forest officials. Consequently, the animal was tranquilised and shifted to the Talabandh Range office for intensive care.
Officials suspect that explosives were deliberately hidden in food, either to trap wild boar or to protect crops from elephant raids. As a result, the blast severely injured the elephant when she consumed the bait. Despite continuous medical efforts, the animal succumbed on Saturday. Afterwards, veterinarians conducted a post‑mortem examination and buried the carcass as per procedure.
Divisional Forest Officer Gobinda Chandra Biswal confirmed that the department made every possible attempt to save the elephant. Furthermore, he stated that the forest division is awaiting the post‑mortem report. Meanwhile, allegations surfaced that authorities tried to suppress information about the death, raising questions about transparency.
The incident has now triggered widespread concern over the illegal use of explosives in Odisha’s forested areas. Moreover, conservationists warn that such practices pose a grave threat to wildlife. They also highlight lapses in enforcing the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, which makes killing or maiming elephants a punishable offence.
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