BHUBANESWAR: Orissa forest authorities suspect that poisoning is the cause of death of three juvenile elephants in the Simlipal Tiger Reserve (STR), whose carcasses were traced within a 150-metre radius on Sunday.

“From the preliminary investigation, we suspect it is a case of poisoning. We don't see it as the handiwork of a big wildlife poaching group because all the elephants are juveniles, in the age group 10-15, and the tusks had hardly developed,” Chief Wildlife Warden P.N. Padhi said here on Tuesday.

Some mischief-mongers among the locals could be behind the crime.

“We are now collecting intelligence inputs. The culprits will be brought to book,” he said.

Bleeding in mouth cavity

According to preliminary investigations by the STR's Field Director, “Profuse bleeding was observed in the mouth cavity in all the cases. Casual anti-poaching workers on the Andharitota Beat had last seen these elephants on the evening of February 11.”

Elephant deaths have come to haunt the STR management after nearly 10 months. Last year, as many as 12 elephants were alleged to have been poached on in the vast forested region.

Poachers involved

A two-member team constituted by the National Tiger Conservation Authority to probe the deaths in the STR confirmed poacher involvement in most of them. It also blamed forest department field staff for trying to destroy evidence.

A census in April 2010 revealed a population of 551 elephants in Simlipal, up from 434 in 2007.