A wounded tusker was spotted today in Alighati hills of Dhama forest range in Sambalpur district and efforts were on to provide it with medical treatment. Villagers who had gone to the jungle first saw the elephant, forest officials said.
Acting on this information, forest officials traced the tusker, aged around 40 years, inside the forest. The left leg of the tusker was swollen and bleeding. Forest officials and veterinary surgeons are following the tusker in a bid to provide it with treatment. “The cause of the injury will be ascertained after examining it,” forest officials said. Injury due to firing by poachers was not being ruled out.
