Concerns Rise as Two Elephant Deaths Occur Near India-Bhutan Border

In a concerning turn of events, two elephant deaths have been reported in Tamulpur district near the India-Bhutan border within just three days. The Forest Department is investigating the causes of these deaths, with initial reports suggesting food poisoning in one case. Local residents are alarmed as human-elephant conflicts escalate in the region, prompting authorities to take action. The situation highlights the ongoing challenges faced by wildlife in areas where human habitation overlaps with their natural habitats. Stay tuned for updates as investigations continue.

By Narendra Chaudhary Sep 18, 2026, 13:55 IST

Elephant Deaths in Tamulpur District

Elephant calf found dead along the India-Bhutan border in Tamulpur district on Friday (Photo: AT)

Tamulpur, Sept 18: Authorities have discovered a wild elephant carcass in No. 1 Darangapar, located in Kumarikata along the India-Bhutan border, marking the second such incident in just three days.

Forest Department officials arrived at the scene after local residents reported the finding and initiated an inquiry into the cause of death.

“We were alerted by locals about the elephant carcass. An investigation is currently in progress, and the true cause of death will be determined following a post-mortem examination,” stated an official from an environmental NGO.

Present at the site were Baksa DFO Dhirendranath Basumatary and Kumarikata Forest Range Officer Prabhat Barman, who conducted an inspection of the carcass.

The official mentioned that the Forest Department team, including the DFO and Forest Ranger, had reached the location, and local residents along with the village headman were asked to share any information regarding the circumstances of the death.

This latest incident follows the discovery of a wild elephant calf found dead near Anthaibari in No. 2 Dongergaon on September 15.

In that case, locals noticed the calf's carcass on the banks of the Barnadi river, with foam emerging from its mouth, and promptly notified the Forest Department.

Tamulpur Forest Range Officer Babul Brahma, along with a team of forest staff and a veterinary doctor, responded to the report. The Forest Department later performed a post-mortem and buried the calf's remains by the riverbank.

A wild elephant calf was found dead near Anthaibari in No. 2 Dongergaon In Tamulpur on September 15 (Photo: AT)

Initial investigations by the Forest Department suggested that the calf may have succumbed to food poisoning. However, the cause of the recent elephant's death remains undetermined until the post-mortem results are available.

These fatalities have raised alarms amid ongoing human-elephant conflicts in the Tamulpur region along the Bhutan border. Recently, a significant herd of wild elephants has been moving down from the Bhutan hills in search of food, causing damage to homes and agricultural lands in the border vicinity.

The latest events have heightened concerns among local residents, prompting authorities to continue their investigation into the circumstances surrounding these deaths.