Two elephants found dead inside reserve forest in Odisha

Two wild elephants have been found dead inside a reserve forest area in Odisha's Keonjhar district, with a preliminary probe suggesting that animals were killed by poachers, officials said on Monday.

carcasses of female and male elephants were recovered by forest officials near Gurubeda area from Baitarani (B) reserve forest on Sunday following inputs from locals, a forest official said.

tusks of male elephant were missing and efforts are on to ascertain actual cause of death of jumbos, he said.

female elephant was around 20-year-old and carcass seemed to be lying re for more than a week. tusker, d around 22 years, was suspected to have died around three days ago.

A preliminary investigation indicated that animals were killed by poachers as tusks of male elephant were missing. However, exact cause would be ascertained after autopsy and a thorough probe, he said.

Representational Im