TV
An adult female elephant was found dead near a solar-powered fence in the Chhendipada forest range of Angul district on Monday, raising fresh concerns over the safety of fencing mechanisms used to deter wild animals from entering human settlements.
According to forest officials, the carcass was discovered lying adjacent to a solar-powered fence, installed to prevent elephant incursions into nearby farmlands.
The elephant, estimated to be around 25 to 30 years old, is suspected to have died due to electrocution, although the exact cause will be confirmed after a post-mortem examination.
“A thorough investigation has been initiated. We will know the exact cause of death after the autopsy,” a senior forest officer from the Chhendipada range told reporters. The Forest Department also cordoned off the area and deployed a team to collect forensic and electrical evidence from the site.
Second Death in a Week
The incident marked the second elephant death due to suspected electrocution in Angul district within a week. In a similar incident reported on May 31, a juvenile tusker aged around 8 to 10 years was found dead near Talsira under the Bantala forest division.
The young elephant had come in contact with a live wire that was reportedly laid illegally by a farmer to protect his mango orchard. The farmer responsible in the Bantala case has been detained for interrogation, and forest officials have confirmed that the electric fencing there was unauthorised and unsafe.
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Questions Over Solar Fencing Safety
In the Chhendipada case, the solar fencing was part of a Forest Department initiative aimed at mitigating human-elephant conflict in vulnerable pockets. However, recurring fatalities near such fencing have sparked alarm among conservationists and wildlife experts.
Odisha has been grappling with increasing instances of human-elephant conflict, especially in forest-fringe districts like Angul, Dhenkanal, and Keonjhar. While solar fencing and trenching are among the preferred non-lethal deterrents, gaps in implementation and illegal practices continue to pose risks.
