Bhubaneswar: Despite tall claims of Chief Wildlife Warden SC Mohanty that poaching of wildlife animals was not taking place as per the media reports, shockingly three elephants have already lost their lives due to illegal poaching within a span of one week. On Thursday two elephants were found dead near Lahunda jungle near Champua in Keonjhar district. It may be noted that a few days back, one elephant was found dead in the premises of the Similipal National Tiger Reserve.

Sources said the two elephants killed were either poisoned or shot dead by poachers.

As per the latest census, the elephant population has been declining since last two decades. About 2,044 elephants were counted in 1979 but it has come down to 1,639 in 2005.

During the last one year from April, 2005 to March, 2006 at least 14 elephants have been killed in forests and in March this year two elephants were shot dead, one each at Chandaka and Satkosia.

The unchecked operation of elephant poachers and ivory traders is apparent from the recent seizures of valuable ivory of 64 kilogram at Jashipur in Mayurbhanj district in December 2005 followed by a seizure of another 10 kilogram of ivory in Jharsuguda in January 2006.

Ironically, the latest case took place on April 13, 2006 inside Chandaka Wildlife Sanctuary just 30 km away from the State capital. Over the last 25 years, there is a steady decline in wild elephants in the State.

Sources further revealed that professional elephant poaching gangs were active in almost all elephant reserves including Narsinghpur, Kapilas, Athmalik, Satkosia, Rairakhol, Boudh, Baisapalli, Simlipal, Keonjhar, Deogarh, Sambalpur, Lakhari valley and Kotagarh.

Though the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 provides for stringent punishment minimum of three and a maximum of seven years for elephant related crimes. Even if elephant poachers are caught, unsound prosecution reports ensure that the accused are out on bail within a couple of days.