DIBRUGARH, JUL 29: A carcass of a male wild elephant suspected to have died of anthrax was recovered from a jungle near Bhimpathar village under Digboi Forest Division in Tinsukia district on Monday. Assistant Conservator of Forests, Digboi division, Jayanta Das, forest ranger Sumi Deori, veterinary officer Dr Rubul Saikia and other officials immediately rushed to the site to investigate the situation.
In order to determine the cause of death, a 3-member veterinary team led by Dr Rubul Saikia performed a post mortem on the dead elephant while wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) kits. As of now, the report of the autopsy is still pending.
“We strongly suspect that the elephant, estimated to be around 8-10 years old may have died of anthrax, given the symptoms and the condition of the carcass,” Dr Saikia said.
To contain the situation, a portion of the carcass was incinerated at the site, while the remaining remains were buried in a hole approximately 10 feet deep. A protective fence has been erected around the burial site, encompassing a radius of 50 metres. The precautionary measure aims to restrict access for at least six months, as officials work to ensure that no further contamination occurs.
Dr Saikia also announced that as a precautionary measure against anthrax, all livestock and cattle within a 5km radius would be vaccinated. Anthrax is a highly infectious zoonotic disease commonly found in herbivorous animals.
Significantly, this incident marks the third occurrence of elephant deaths in Tinsukia district in recent times. Two other elephants had previously died of other causes in the Brahmajan area of Pengeri and the Makum Pathar area of Margherita respectively.
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