Tragic Death of Injured Tusker Raises Questions on Wildlife Care in Keonjhar

Injured Tusker's Struggle Ends in Keonjhar

In Keonjhar, a 30-year-old tusker, which had been suffering for several days, passed away on Monday afternoon in the Anandpur wildlife division, leading to public outcry regarding the delay in medical assistance.

Forest department officials reported that the elephant was initially spotted limping in the Atei reserved forest within the Ghatagaon range of the Keonjhar forest division.

Subsequently, it migrated to Nuapada near the Kolimati protected forest and then to Musal Nala close to Kanto village. Efforts to tranquilize the elephant were made on Sunday, but only antibiotics could be administered from a distance. On Monday, a forest team successfully tranquilized the animal and began treatment, but it succumbed around 3 PM, just two hours into the procedure.

The tusker was reportedly in severe distress, unable to eat, and was vomiting anything it ingested. Authorities noted pus oozing from a wound, leading to suspicions that poachers may have injured it with arrows.

P. Ramasamy, the Regional Chief Conservator of Forests, stated that a post-mortem would reveal the precise cause of death. Wildlife activists have criticized the Forest department for their delayed response, alleging negligence and procedural failures.