Four elephants die in Upper Assam

Kaziranga, October 10, 2002: Four elephants have died over the last four days in Upper Assam, according to reports reaching here. While post mortem reports are not yet available, prima facie evidence strongly suggest poisoning to be the cause for three of the four deaths.

On October 6, a male elephant reportedly died at Murphuloni in Golaghat district. Two elephants - a female and a two-year-old calf - died at Batachipur in Charduar Reserve Forest, Sonitpur district the following day. Another elephant carcass was recovered near Tezpur on October 9. Details of the latter two incidents are awaited.

Forest officials and villagers of Murphuloni sighted a seriously injured elephant on October 4. It had apparently been attacked with spears, in fact two spears were still entrenched on its body. The elephants was blind in its left eye, and its tail too had been badly cut. The following day, forest department officials contacted the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) in Kaziranga. The centre manager and others rushed to the spot, but the elephant succumbed to its injuries before the team reached Murphuloni.

Ironically, the same day wild elephants in Sonitpur district killed four people. A boy was also killed when he accidentally came in contact with a highvoltage electric fence erected to protect property from wild elephants in Golaghat district.

Between July and November last year, 18 elephants died due to poisoning in Sonitpur district of Assam. Of these, two were found dead in Goroimari and three in a village near Tezpur. District administration enquiries and police investigations did not result in any arrests. Demecron, an organophosphorous based pesticide, was proved to be the killing agent in most cases. Although this particular pesticide was banned in the district, any pesticide when consumed in such quantities and concentrations can prove lethal.

The period of the mortalities coincides with the time of ripening and harvest of paddy, which is the main crop farmed in the region. At this time, elephants wander out of the forests and raid crops that provide a source of highly nutritious food that is easily accessible. No culprits were identified, and it was even suggested that outsiders had been hired to kill the elephants. Largescale encroachments of the reserve forests over the past four years are drastically reducing the elephant habitat. Hence, human-elephant conflicts in the area have been on the upswing.

The police is questioning villagers and tea garden labourers to find details about the deaths. Since Demecron is still banned in the district, those found in possession of the pesticide may be charged. Observers feel vigilant and rapid action now can prevent a catastrophe like that of last year's.