Pregnant elephant found dead in Lalgarh forest range

Biswabrata Goswami

Statesman News Service

MIDNAPORE, 31 MAY: A pregnant elephant was found dead at Kadmasole under Bhaudi beat Lalgarh range in West Midnapore at around 6 am today and it is suspected that she suffered a heart attack during labour.

The carcass of the pachyderm was found by the villagers in the area this morning following which senior forest officials including Assistant Divisional Forest Officer (ADFO) rushed to the spot. A team of veterinary officials and doctors also reached there. They examined the body but no external or visible mark of injury was found.

Divisional Forest Officer of Midnapore, Sandip Kumar Barwal said, “As there was no external mark of injury, the reason of death can only be ascertained after the postmortem. A foetus was found inside the body and it was suspected that the mother elephant after having foods while going through a corn field towards Lalgarh from Bhaoudi inside the forest died”.

Barwal also said the dead elephant was a part of a small herd that was moving inside the forest for the last few days in the Lalgarh range.