Guwahati: A five years-old baby wild elephant was suspected to be died after getting stuck in a mud near Dibru-River at Tokani reserve forest under Doomdooma Forest Division in upper Assam Tinsukia district on Saturday.
According to locals, a heard of wild elephant comes out from forest, one of the baby elephant got stuck in mud and died.
Meanwhile, officials from forest department reached the spot and collected samples of the elephant for autopsy.
According to environmentalist, the elephants are facing food crisis in the forest due to rampant deforestation as a result they are moving towards human habitation in search of food.
“It is very sad that elephants are dying due to various reason. Due to scarcity of food in the forest the elephants are having a tough time and they are moving towards human habitation resulting in human-elephant conflict,” said Devojit Moran, an environmentalist.
He further said, “The Bogapani elephant corridor and Golai elephant corridor was blocked due to encroachment and the elephants are facing movement problem,”.
“Due to deforestation and using of machines to cut down trees, the elephants are facing huge crisis. The elephant are in stress and some of them are dying due to the reasons,” Moran said.
Divisional Forest Officer, Doomdooma division, Rajendra Singh Bharati said, “The carcass of baby elephant was found at Dibru-river in Tokani reserve forest. The elephant might be died after trapped in the river,”.
Assam Forest Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said more than 70 people and 80 pachyderms on average die every year in human-elephant conflict in the state. The state government has paid about Rs 8-9 crore in compensation for damages caused by elephants.