The Forest Department personnel of Odisha’s Hirakud wildlife division laid wreaths and garlands to pay respect to a 65-year-old captive male elephant after the pachyderm died a natural death.
The elephant Khersel died of age-related ailments. Despite best efforts by vets, we could not save it. It was buried at Debrigarh wildlife sanctuary. The construction of a memorial board is being taken up at the spot where the tusker was buried, said Anshu Pragyan Das, Divisional Forest Officer, Hirakud wildlife division.
The captive tusker had developed age-related health issues for the last six months. It was under medication with expert advice from Bhubaneswar-based Centre of Wildlife Studies, she further said,
Khersel had unleashed a reign of terror in the late nineties killing humans in villages on the periphery of Khersel Reserve Forest of Bolangir. In 1998, it was held captive after being tranquilized. Its movement was confined within Debrigarh Sanctuary, the forest officer concluded.
Odisha is home to as many as 2,098 elephants in 38 Forest Divisions as per the All Odisha elephant census-2024 report released by forest, environment and climate change in June last.
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