A tragic incident unfolded in Chhattisgarh's Raigarh district on Tuesday when a one-year-old elephant calf was found dead after drowning in a village pond, adding to the growing concern over elephant fatalities in the Tamnar forest range over the past year.
Details of the Tragic Incident
The calf, part of a 34-member herd, likely slipped into the community-use pond at Gaurmudi village while the herd came for water during the early hours. The carcass was discovered floating in the pond by local villagers, who promptly informed the forest department.
A rapid response team comprising officials from Tamnar forest range and Sarayapali beat rushed to the location. They retrieved the body from the water and conducted a thorough post-mortem examination.
Ranger Vikrant Kumar provided crucial details to reporters, stating that the deceased calf was male and approximately one year old. "Our preliminary investigation points to death by drowning. We found no external injuries, hunting evidence, or suspicious circumstances. The herd visited the pond around 3-4 am for drinking water, and it appears the calf slipped into the deep section and couldn't escape," Kumar explained.
Ongoing Monitoring and Conservation Challenges
The pond where the tragedy occurred sits approximately two kilometers from the forest boundary. Forest officials revealed that a herd of 34 elephants - including 8 bulls, 18 females, and 8 calves - has been regularly moving through Tamnar range and adjacent areas in recent days.
Field staff and volunteers from Haathi Mitra Dal have maintained continuous surveillance of the herd's movements, providing regular updates about their location and size to senior officers. Following the drowning incident, additional personnel have been deployed to monitor the group and prevent further accidents or human-animal conflicts.
After completing all legal procedures and the post-mortem, the calf's remains were buried in a nearby forest area.
Pattern of Elephant Deaths in the Region
Official forest records highlight a disturbing trend: more than a dozen elephants have died in Raigarh forest divisions during the past 13 months. The majority of casualties involved calves and sub-adults, with many deaths occurring in or near water bodies and marshy areas.
Recent cases include multiple instances of calves drowning in ponds or becoming trapped in muddy terrain across Chhal, Gharghoda, Dharamjaigarh, and Tamnar ranges. Additionally, several adults and sub-adults have died from electrocution by live wires in agricultural fields within the same regions.
This pattern underscores the particular vulnerability of young elephants around village ponds, water tanks, and swampy fields, especially during nighttime when herds venture into human-dominated landscapes searching for water and crops.
A local official, speaking anonymously, identified deforestation as a primary factor in poor elephant conservation. As elephant populations increase in the range, young calves face heightened dangers with low survival rates.
Even as authorities address this latest death, elephant-related tensions remain elevated in parts of Raigarh. Over the past two months, social media has circulated numerous videos showing elephants repeatedly crossing main roads and moving through agricultural fields.
Farmers report elephants spending extended periods in standing paddy crops, flattening and consuming significant portions of their harvest. Many farmers have begun keeping night watches to protect their fields.
To redirect the herd toward forest areas, villagers, forest staff, and Haathi Mitra Dal members have employed standard non-lethal methods including torches, noise-making, and firecrackers. However, officials note that grain-filled fields present a powerful attraction, causing elephants to show reduced fear and return repeatedly despite these deterrent efforts.
