Elephant found dead, poisoning suspected

Statesman News Service
July 29, 2008


SILIGURI, July 29: A wild elephant was found dead at the Fashkhoa tea estate under the Buxa Tiger Reserve (east) area in the Dooars this morning. The adult pachyderm is suspected to have died of poisoning and its viscera samples are now being forwarded to the animal research laboratory in Kolkata for confirmation.
According to Mr Kaushik Choudhury, ADFO, BTR (east), the carcass of the dead elephant was found at Fuelbari jungles of Fashkhoa tea estate that falls under the Hatipota range of the tiger reserve. It was the plantation workers who first spotted the dead pachyderm at around 9 a.m. and alerted the foresters. By the time forest officials arrived at the spot, condition of the carcass suggested that it died early today.
“There was no injury mark on the carcass. But we have found blood on the ground beneath the pachyderm's body that seem to be have come out of its right ear,” the ADFO Mr Choudhury said.

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