Elephant head recovered from Sankosh River, poaching suspected

MP | 4 Aug 2023 | Alipurduar: On Friday afternoon, Volka Range forest staff from Buxa Tiger Reserve recovered a severed head of an elephant that was spotted floating in the Sankosh River near the Assam Bengal border. 

The elephant’s tusks were missing. This triggered speculations that the animal was a victim of poaching for the valuable tusks. 

Local residents noticed the elephant’s head in the river and promptly informed the Volka Range Office, Prabhat Barman, who rushed to the area. The forest officials confirmed the presence of the elephant’s severed head, devoid of tusks. 

Preliminary investigations suggest that the incident might be linked to poaching. It is speculated that poachers killed the elephant, removed its tusks, dismembered the body, and disposed it in the river. 

The officials from Buxa Tiger Reserve, including Apurba Sen, field director of Buxa Tiger Project, arrived at the scene for further investigations. 

Debashis Sharma, deputy field director of Buxa Tiger Reserve (East), stated: “On Friday, around 4 pm, forest staff from Volka Range recovered the floating head of an elephant in Sankosh River, with its tusks missing. Based on the preliminary investigation, it appears to have come from the Assam region. 

We are conducting a thorough investigation and a search operation. We are coordinating with our counterparts in Assam.” 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/elephant-head-recovered-from-sankosh-river-poaching-suspected-528154