Maksam Tayeng

PASIGHAT, Dec 8:  A two-month old elephant calf was rescued from Siluk village under Mebo Sub-Division early Thursday morning by Mebo Forest Range led by Range Forest Officer, Obang Tayeng. The elephant calf was stranded in the village while the herd passed by from the nearby elephant corridor. 

But officials are now faced with an even bigger concern due to lack of rehabilitation centre in the area. Their request to the D. Ering Wildlife Sanctuary (DEWS) to take over the elephant calf was declined due to non availability of care centre and expert. They have also written to the Kaziranga Park authorities put their request did not evoke a positive response.

PCCF (WL) cum Chief Wildlife Warden, R. Kemp informed that, he had tried contacting Park Director of Kaziranga National Park and DFO Pakke Wildlife Sanctuary (where lone animal rescue & rehab centre is available), but they have refused to take the calf.

According to staffers of DEWS, a rescue centre was constructed at Jeepghat beat but it is non-existent at present. 

Since the rescue, the Mebo Range office staffers are busy feeding and taking care of the calf with the help of veterinary doctors. Faced with such a situation, the fate of the rescued calf seems uncertain.

Meanwhile, ADCF, in-Charge Mobile Squad, CCF Pasighat, Tasang Taga, who is a trained forest officer from Wildlife Training Institute of Dehradun also flagged off concern about active poachers/hunting in the area.

‘The mother of the calf might have been killed by poachers or elephant catchers. In normal cases, mother elephant never abandons its calf. This is a serious concern for wildlife protection in the region,’ he added.

It is worth mentioning here that, elephant killing is a common sighting in these parts of the state due to man-elephant conflict. Incidents of elephant calf catching by hunters from Namsai areas were also reported in the recent past. Two calves were rescued from the clutches of hunters from Namsai who had come to catch elephant calf at Mebo Range recently.

 

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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