THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj, January 24: A male elephant was found dead in compartment 9 of the Bareysarn range in the Palamu Tiger Reserve, forest officials said.
The spot where the elephant was found is Aasan Pani under the Bareysarn range. Field Director of Palamu Tiger Reserve S. R. Natesha confirmed the death.
Aged Makana Elephant
According to Ranger N. K. Mahto, the deceased elephant was a male Makana and was quite old, estimated to be over 50 years of age.
The elephant is believed to have died on Saturday. However, the post-mortem examination was conducted in situ on Sunday, as it was too late to carry it out on Saturday.
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Forest Staff Stayed Overnight
The ranger and his team of forest guards stayed near the site throughout Saturday and Sunday night to secure the area.
For the post-mortem, three veterinary doctors—one each from Manika, Garu, and Chhipadohar blocks—were deployed. In addition, two veterinarians from the Palamu Tiger Reserve were also present.
Death Due to Intra-Species Fight
Ranger Mahto said preliminary findings suggest that the elephant died due to brutal intra-species fighting.
The Makana elephant had multiple injuries caused by tusks, including five deep puncture wounds on both sides of the belly. Forest officials also found damaged grasses and shrubs and large pools of blood, indicating a fierce fight between elephants.
Officials said it appears that a tusker attacked and killed the Makana elephant during the confrontation.
No Foul Play Suspected
Forest officials said incidents of elephants fighting each other are not uncommon in the Palamu Tiger Reserve and generally occur due to dominance and territorial disputes. A similar incident was reported last year.
The forest department has ruled out any foul play, stating that the death resulted from internecine fighting between elephants.
