Body of Another Dead Elephant With Tusks Cut Found in Similipal

Bhubaneswar: Another wild elephant was allegedly killed by poachers in the Simlipal forest of Mayurbhanj district in Odisha. Its tusks are suspected to be taken away, which increases suspicion that this may be the handiwork of some poachers.

According to media reports, the carcass of this dead elephant was located in the Gopinathpur Beat area of ​​the Pietabata Range of Similpal forest. An investigation is underway by the forest officials. It is suspected that after killing the elephant the poachers cut off its tusks.

The carcass of a male elephant was found in the Talabandha wildlife range of Similipal National Park on January 22, 2023. Forest officials suspect that the animal might have been killed by poachers for ivory as its tusks were missing. It is suspected that a racket active in Arunachal Pradesh has links with elephant poaching in Odisha.

According to the data provided by the forest and environment department in the Odisha Assembly on July 7, 2022, Similipal witnessed 11 elephant deaths since 2019 including four in 2021-22. Some of them were linked with poaching.