Efforts on to locate, treat injured elephant at Buxa Tiger Reserve

Alipurduar: The Buxa Tiger Reserve authorities have launched an extensive search to locate an injured wild elephant that was recently spotted at a forest village on Thursday morning. Despite initial sightings, the elephant retreated deep into the forest, complicating rescue efforts.

Local sources reported that on Thursday morning, a wild elephant entered a betel nut plantation in Gopal Bahadur Basti, located within the Dalsingpara Gram Panchayat of Kalchini block. Villagers noticed multiple wounds on the elephant’s body and promptly informed the Forest department.

Upon receiving the alert, forest officials from the Varnbari beat and the Elephant Squad were dispatched to the area. However, before their arrival, the elephant had returned to the dense forests of the reserve. Notably, the animal exhibited no aggression toward residents, despite its injuries.

Eye-witnesses report that the elephant appeared to be in significant pain due to the numerous wounds on its body. A video taken by locals provided evidence of the injuries, prompting forest officials to confirm that the male elephant had likely been involved in a violent fight with a tusked elephant over a mate and subsequently driven away.

Forest officials suspect that the injured elephant may have fled into the village area after being chased by the tusker. After assessing the severity of the wounds, the team decided to seek out the elephant to provide treatment.

“The wounds appear serious, and there is a risk of infection if left untreated,” said Harikrishnan PJ, Deputy Field Director of Buxa Tiger Reserve (West). “We believe the injuries occurred during a mating conflict, and we are prioritizing the elephant’s treatment.”

Despite a day-long search operation, no trace of the elephant has been found so far. The Forest department said it remains committed to locating the animal and providing the necessary medical attention.