KOZHIKODE: The officials of Wayanad forest department are yet to trace the offenders involved in the killing of three wild elephants at Muthanga forest range last month. The members of the Heritage Animal Task Force (HATF) have sent a petition to the director, Project Elephant, Ministry of Environment and Forest, New Delhi, in this regard.
Out of the three deaths reported, a wild male elephant died due to direct contact with live electric wire placed illegally by planters at Koramchal near Cherambady in Muthanga range. A female elephant landed in a huge pit which was dug to ward off wild animals in human settlements. On Wednesday, the forest range officers reported that another female elephant was shot dead inside Wayanad wildlife sanctuary.
The members of HATF alleged that the forest mafia and the illegally erected live wires inside the sanctuary were responsible for the death of the elephants. “If such activities go on, more elephants will die in the sanctuary,” opined Mr V.K. Venkitachalam, decretary of HAFT.
He said the forest and police departments lack the manpower and technical know-how to identify the forest mafia. “Though the central government declared June 5 as Environment Day, their activities continue, especially in Wayanad sanctuary, he added. The officials in the area said that investigations were on to find out the reasons for the death of the wild elephants.
