Elephant Death in Bolangir Forest Sparks Conservation Concerns

Bolangir: A wave of concern has swept across Odisha’s Bolangir district after villagers discovered the carcass of a female elephant in the Muribahal forest range near Jamilisar village.

The incident has sparked alarm among locals and wildlife experts, highlighting the growing challenges of elephant conservation in the state.

Forest Department officials, accompanied by local police, rushed to the site and initiated an investigation. Preliminary checks revealed no external injury marks on the carcass, leaving the cause of death uncertain.

Authorities have ordered a postmortem to determine whether electrocution, poisoning, disease, or other unnatural factors were involved.

Odisha has witnessed a troubling rise in elephant deaths in recent years, raising questions about habitat safety and human-wildlife conflict.

Conservationists have urged immediate measures, including securing elephant corridors, insulating electric wires, and strict enforcement against poaching.

Officials assured that a high-level inquiry is underway and monitoring will be intensified in vulnerable areas to prevent similar tragedies.

The incident underscores the urgent need for stronger wildlife protection policies in Odisha’s forests.