The Haridwar Forest Division has been in a state of panic after the deaths of two elephants within four days. One elephant died from electric shock from a barbed wire fence in a field, while the cause of death for the other is unclear. Following the elephant deaths, the Forest Department has planned a campaign to remove such fencing from fields adjacent to the forest in the respective areas. Water samples from nearby water sources have also been collected for testing.
In the Haridwar Forest Division, the carcasses of an elephant were found in Rasulpur in the Khanpur Range on September 26th and in Shah Mansoor Beat on September 29th. This has caused panic within the forest department. The carcass of the elephant was found on the border between the Forest and Revenue Departments in Rasulpur Beat.
Due to the uncertainty surrounding the cause of death, the samples have been sent to IVRI, Bareilly for testing. The carcass of the elephant was found in a field in Shah Mansoor, where electric fencing was installed. A case has been filed against the farm owner in this case.
There’s no clarity on the cause of the first elephant’s death.
DFO Swapnil Anirudh says that in the second case, a carcass was found in a field, and the cause of death appears to be electrocution. A case has been filed against the farm owner. There’s no clarity on the cause of the first elephant’s death, so samples have been sent to IVRI Bareilly and the Indian Wildlife Institute, Dehradun, for testing to rule out other causes, including poisoning. Water samples have also been taken from the area surrounding the incident site
