Bull elephant found lying dead

Baripada, Oct 08 (UNI) Ivory poachers are once again on the prowl in the Simlipal Tiger Reserve (STR), the home to 377 elephants.

An adult bull elephant aged about 35 to 40 years, a prized asset and a perfect denizen of the reserve, has been written off from the reserve.

Villagers of Lalpani under Pithabata Range of the STR said that the majestic bull elephant was found lying dead on the bank of a hill stream at Digdiga, about 35kms from here recently.

The pair of tusks of the bull were retrieved by the poachers as they were not found in the carcass, the villagers said.

Simlipal bulls are well-known for their highly symmetrical tusks, and hence the reserve had become the hunting ground for the ivory poachers.

Wildlife lovers and conservationists have questioned as to how the skeleton of the liquidated tusker could escape the notice of the field staff of the STR when the villagers could trace it.

UNI XC DP TJP AB 1754