Elephant Saved in Rourkela, Calf Drowns in Deogarh Reservoir

Rourkela/Deogarh: In a dramatic rescue operation, forest officials in Rourkela saved a wild elephant that had fallen into an open well near Gadaluru village in the Hathibari section.

Alerted by villagers, the team deployed two JCB machines and worked for hours to safely pull the elephant out. The animal, found to be largely unharmed, was later guided back into the forest.

In contrast, tragedy struck in Deogarh, where an elephant calf, less than a year old, drowned in the Rengali reservoir near Kulasara village in the Thianal section of Barkot forest range.

The carcass was discovered floating about 1.5 km from the reservoir. Forest officials, including the DFO and ACF, reached the site and recovered the body.

Preliminary findings suggest drowning as the cause of death, with a post‑mortem to confirm details.

These incidents highlight both the challenges and urgency of wildlife protection in Odisha, where human‑animal interactions often lead to critical situations requiring swift intervention.