Elephant calf prevents Odisha officials from taking mother's carcass

Forest officials today failed to go near the carcass of a female elephant at Khandikoti jungle near Bhanjanagar in Ganjam district, as they were prevented by her calf.

"The baby elephant chased away the forest officials who attempted to dispose the carcass of the pachyderm," Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Ghumusar North, K C Mishra said.

The jumbo had died yesterday and her calf has since then been guarding her carcass.

An expert team led by Assistant Director, Nandanakanan, L K Purohit, reached Bhanjanagar to capture the calf by tranquilising it, but had to suspend the operation for the day due to the scorching heat, Mishra said.

It would be shifted to the Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar after capture, he said.

It is suspected that the female elephant, who had come to drink water along with the calf, might have succumbed to the heat.

"The exact cause of the death would be assessed after the post-mortem," he said.

The same female elephant had trampled one person to death at Kanabindha village on Wednesday, he said.