Bahraich (UP), March 31 Forest department personnel recovered the carcass of a female elephant in the Bichhiya area of the Katarniaghat wildlife sanctuary here on Tuesday morning, a senior official said.
The elephant, estimated to be 20-25 years old, died under natural circumstances, and there appeared to be no evidence of human interference, the official said.
According to Divisional Forest Officer of the wildlife sanctuary, Apoorva Dixit, "Forest department personnel were conducting a patrol in the Bichhiya area located deep inside the sanctuary's dense forest on Tuesday morning, when they discovered the carcass of a female elephant. Senior officials, a veterinary team, and forest personnel arrived at the scene and took custody of the elephant's remains."
A post-mortem was conducted on the spot, and samples of the viscera were collected and sent to the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) in Bareilly for pathological analysis. The carcass was then buried at the site of discovery.
Based on the preliminary post-mortem report and the condition of the carcass, it appeared that the elephant died 8-10 days ago, Dixit said.
Circumstantial evidence suggested that the elephant's death was a natural occurrence, and there was no human interference. The animal could have died of illness or injuries sustained during a fight, Dixit said.
Nevertheless, the definitive cause of death can only be determined once the pathological report is received from the IVRI, Bareilly, the DFO said, adding that patrolling has been intensified in the sanctuary.
Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, which is spread over 400 square kilometers and is a key part of the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including Bengal tigers, Indian elephants, leopards, sloth bears, Indian rhinoceros, and various species of deer.