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Elephant Dies After Jaw Blown Off by Explosive Bait
19 Apr
Summary
- An elephant died after ingesting an explosive bait that severely damaged its jaw.
- The injured elephant wandered for 12 agonizing days before succumbing to its wounds.
- Poachers are increasingly using bait bombs to hunt wild boar, posing a new threat.
A 9-year-old elephant has died in Odisha's Kandhamal district following severe jaw injuries sustained from an explosive bait ball on April 6. The devastating explosion left the giant tusker unable to eat, leading to a slow and painful death. It had wandered for 12 agonizing days, covering nearly 200 km from where it ingested the bait in the Balangir forest division.
Forest officials discovered the critically injured elephant on April 13 in the Baliguda forest division. Despite immediate veterinary treatment, the infection from the jaw injury had spread, proving fatal. The elephant had remained isolated after the initial explosion, making its severe injury less apparent to forest personnel in the Balangir and Kalahandi districts.
An investigation is underway to identify those responsible for creating and planting the explosive bait. This incident underscores a disturbing new tactic employed by poachers, who have previously used similar methods to hunt wild boar. Forest officials suspect a watermelon may have been used as the bait in this instance, marking a dangerous escalation in wildlife crime.
