Angul: Amid a pate of poaching incidents highlighting escalating wildlife crime and deepening human–animal conflict, a tusker was reportedly shot dead in Angul Forest Division in Odisha on Sunday night. The incident took place near Manikjodi village under Pokunda section of the forest division. 

As per preliminary reports, the pachyderm had strayed into the Baliapashi area near the village when poachers opened fire at it. The elephant succumbed to gunshot injuries at the spot.

After information about the incident surfaced on Monday morning, the Forest Range Officer along with other forest personnel rushed to the site and started investigation. The killing of the elephant comes close on the heels of a similar incident where a leopard died after being caught in a poacher’s snare earlier this week. The two incidents, which occured barely within days of each other, has raised serious questions about the effectiveness and vigilance of the forest department in protecting wildlife.

Leopard Killed in Poacher’s Snare

On December 9, a leopard was found trapped in a poacher’s snare in the Karatapata section forest under Angul range. The animal had reportedly been caught in the snare during the previous night, with the incident coming to light the following day.

Forest officials reached the spot following alerts from local residents who heard the leopard’s distress calls. A veterinary team was deployed, and the animal was tranquilized and freed from the snare. However, despite rescue efforts, the leopard later succumbed to its injuries. Sources said wildlife in Karatapata forest area has repeatedly faced threats from illegal hunting. Poachers are said to lay snares at night to trap wild animals, increasing the risk of fatal encounters for protected species.

Growing Concerns Over Wildlife Crime

The back-to-back deaths of a leopard and an elephant underscore the growing menace of organized poaching and the fragile interface between human habitation and forest ecosystems. It has also reinforced the warning by conservationists that unless anti-poaching measures are strengthened and community-based conflict mitigation strategies implemented, such incidents will continue to endanger wildlife in the region.

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