Wild elephant found dead in Seraikela

Jamshedpur: In a poignant turn of events, a wild elephant that had been creating havoc in the Chandil, Ichagar, and Kukdu blocks of the Seraikela-Kharsawan district has been discovered dead in a field at Saparam village, under the Kukdu block. The elephant, estimated to be around 60 years old, had been on a house-damaging spree in these villages, much to the dismay of the local residents, who also suffered damage to their standing crops due to its presence.

Despite the financial losses incurred by the tusker’s actions, a large number of villagers, including women, gathered near the carcass at Saparam village to pay their respects to the departed animal. They performed a Puja, adorning the carcass with flower garlands as a mark of reverence.

Mukesh Mahto, a forester stationed in the Chandil range, provided insights into the elephant’s recent movements. He revealed that the deceased elephant had left the Chandil range area approximately three months ago, venturing towards the Ranchi jungle along with a herd. However, the elephant had fallen victim to electrocution in an incident within the Ranchi forest range, causing it severe injury. Consequently, the elephant had become significantly weakened due to the electric shock it had sustained. Somehow, it made its way back to its former territory, where it had been anchored in a field for the past four days. Tragically, the elephant was discovered lifeless on Thursday morning.

To ascertain the cause of death and gather more information about the elephant’s condition, a team of forest department officials, including a veterinarian, has been dispatched to Saparam village to conduct an autopsy on the tusker. This incident highlights the complex coexistence between wildlife and local communities in the region, underlining the need for efforts to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts and protect both species’ interests.

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