(Watch): Elephant herd takes bath in forest pond in Odisha’s Keonjhar; video goes viral

Joda: A herd of at least 21 elephants was spotted today while the pachyderms were taking a bath in a forest pond near Bardhana village under Champua range of Keonjhar district. A video of the jumbos in this playful mood has gone viral on different social media platforms.

However, in the purported video, two local youths are also seen in the pond nearly fifteen to twenty feet away from the herd. They have been trying to drive away the elephants. A large congregation of villagers is seen near the pond. This has raised the concern of the Forest department. “Locals must not disturb the wild animals and mess with them in a risky manner,” a senior official expressed.

Notably, the herd consisted of five tuskers, nine females and seven baby elephants. The herd has been roaming in Nandapur, Bhanda, Kashipal and Ucchabali villages for the past few days. In a spree, the herd has so far devastated several kutcha houses and crops in farmlands.

The residents in nearby villages are now in a panic, a source said.

Watch the viral video: