M F AHMAD
Daltonganj, Dec. 7: The search and rescue team of Palamu Tiger Reserve has found one more limping elephant while they were out to find the older one in the forest range.
“When our search and rescue team was looking for the limping elephant, we came across one more limping elephant in the Maromar Surkumi jungles , and thus we have two limping elephants now,” said the Field director and chief conservator of forest at PTR, Kumar Ashutosh.
The officials attempted to sedate the elephant with darts but were unsuccessful because the elephant’s trunk and legs continued to shake despite the darts being fired at it. After a few hours, it rose and began pacing rapidly. A second dart was fired, but it failed to hit the hobbling elephant.
The cartridge is said to have been lost in the scuffle by the Midnapore wildlife specialist team. According to sources, no third darting of the limping elephant was carried out.
Deputy Director (South division) of the PTR Mukesh Kumar said that a ranger Tarun Kumar suffered a mishap during the incident when he fell in the jungle and got his shoulder blade fractured. Another deputy director (North division) Kumar Ashish too fell on the ground and got his nose hurt.
He further informed that the old limping elephant, which the Midnapore team and the half of the PTR were looking for, was found in good health and it was seen running comfortably.
