Ranchi – Jharkhand’s Kolhan division, once a vital corridor for elephant migration, is now seeing an alarming rise in elephant fatalities. In the last 35 days alone, four elephants have died, raising serious concerns about wildlife management and human-induced threats.
The most recent death occurred in the Serengasia valley of West Singhbhum on Thursday. The elephant’s body was found under suspicious circumstances, with villagers suggesting electrocution as the likely cause.
“We’re awaiting the post-mortem report to determine the exact cause of death,” said Forest Officer Aditya Narayan.
On July 5, a young elephant named ‘Gadru’ died from wounds sustained in an IED explosion allegedly set by Maoists in the Saranda forest. Though rescue teams and wildlife NGO Vantara provided emergency aid, the elephant couldn’t survive.
Earlier, on June 24, a female elephant was electrocuted in Seraikela-Kharsawan’s Heaven village, after a farmer unlawfully electrified his farm. A case has been registered, and authorities are searching for the suspect.
On June 5, another elephant was found dead near Ambeda. The cause remains unknown.
In the last three years, Kolhan has recorded over 15 elephant deaths. In one of the deadliest incidents, five elephants were electrocuted in East Singhbhum’s Beniasai village in November 2023. More recently, in July 2024, another elephant was found dead in Baharagora block.
According to the Union Environment Ministry, 528 elephants in India have died from unnatural causes in the past five years—30 of them in Jharkhand due to electrocution alone.
With inputs from IANS