Forest dept steps up elephant surveillance

Raipur | Correspondent: The Forest Department has gone into full alert mode regarding wildlife safety in the forests of Chhattisgarh. Security measures for elephants in the Raigarh and Dharamjaigarh forest divisions have been significantly tightened. Modern technology is now being employed to closely monitor elephants roaming the forests; in addition to the vigilance of forest personnel and 'Hathi Mitra' (Elephant Friend) teams, aerial surveillance is also being conducted.

According to officials, standard drones are used during the day and trap cameras in sensitive areas, while specialized thermal drones are deployed at night to track the elephants' precise locations and movements, enabling the timely detection of any potential crisis.

This high-tech surveillance follows a deeply concerning report regarding recent wildlife deaths. Within a span of approximately 25 days covering May and early June, four elephant calves died. All these calves belonged to the same herd, and their carcasses were discovered near water sources.

Following this mysterious incident, the Forest Department treated the matter with great seriousness and had post-mortems conducted under the supervision of expert scientists. Viscera and other vital samples were subsequently sent to advanced laboratories in Bareilly and Dehradun for analysis; the detailed reports received from these facilities have now revealed the actual causes of death.

According to the laboratory reports, the untimely deaths of the elephant calves were not caused by external attacks or poisoning, but by fatal diseases. The investigation confirmed that one calf was suffering from severe hepatitis (a liver infection), while another had developed septicemia (a severe blood infection). Pneumonia had previously been identified as the cause of death for another calf. Experts state that these diseases rapidly damage the internal organs of wildlife, preventing young calves from surviving. Currently, there are 137 elephants across these two forest areas comprising 37 males, 62 females, and 35 young calves whose safety has now become a top priority.

To address this crisis and prevent the future spread of such infections, a special two-day workshop and training program was organized in Raigarh. DFO Jitendra Upadhyay stated that top wildlife scientists and veterinarians from various states across the country participated in the meeting.

During these two days of deliberations, field officers and forest personnel were trained in the nuances of identifying various infections affecting elephants, recognizing their symptoms, and implementing rapid treatment methods. Based on the valuable suggestions received from the scientists, the department is now formulating a robust, long-term action plan to ensure the elephant herds in Chhattisgarh's forests remain completely safe and healthy. File Photo.