Eight months after Similipal Tiger Reserve shot to infamy over burning of elephant carcasses by its field staff to erase evidence of poaching, three more elephants were found dead inside the reserve — suspected to have been poisoned by poachers.
The staff of the tiger reserve — India's fourth largest — on Monday recovered the carcasses of the three elephants at Pithabata and Dhurdhurchampa range in the core area of Similipal National Park. Field director of the reserve, H S Upadhyay, said: "Preliminary investigation revealed the elephants were killed by poisoning at the salt pit."
Though there were salt pits set by forest workers in the core area, the elephants might have consumed salted mud at pits suspected to have been dug by poachers, he said. However, the poachers could not take the tusks. The elephants are believed to be about 15 years old. "We will be able to tell the exact cause of death after getting the autopsy report," said Upadhyay.
This follows the killing of 14 elephants in Similipal forests last April-May. An independent probe by the National Tiger Conservation Authority had confirmed 14 elephant deaths, all of which were most likely killed by poachers through poisoned arrows or gunshots. The committee found that carcasses of seven elephants were burnt and destroyed, in some cases illegally by department personnel.
