Forest dept can't find sick elephant that 'came to locality seeking help', search ongoing
The elephant had come to the locality multiple times in recent times, according to various media reports.
The Forest Department has not been able to find a sick wild female elephant in the Lathitila Reserve Forest in Moulvibazar despite searching for the last three days.
"As of Wednesday (29 May) afternoon, the elephant remains missing. The search is ongoing with efforts from both the Forest Department and the Wildlife Conservation Department," Md Jahangir Alam, Divisional Forest Officer of the Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation Division in Moulvibazar, told The Business Standard.
The elephant had come to the locality multiple times in recent times, according to various media reports.
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The reports, citing locals, said the giant animal might have been looking for help from its human neighbours. The locals had informed the relevant government agencies regarding the state of the elephant.
A specialised team from Dhaka was brought in on Monday (27 May) to provide treatment to the elephant, but the team is yet to locate it.
"It is likely that the elephant has retreated deeper into the jungle," said Alam.
"Local forest officials and villagers are continuing their efforts to locate it. If found, we may use a tranquiliser dart to capture it. We need the cooperation of local residents to find the elephant", he added.
The Forest Department and villagers reported that a group of four wild female elephants typically roamed the tropical evergreen forest. One of the elephants fell ill some time ago and got separated from the group, wandering alone. Occasionally, it ventured into nearby localities but caused no harm.
Local Forest Department officials and several wildlife officers from Moulvibazar attempted to locate the elephant last Sunday (26 May) but were unsuccessful. Subsequently, a letter was sent to higher authorities, resulting in the formation of a medical team to treat the elephant.
Nazmul Hossain, the Range Officer of Juri, mentioned that local residents reported seeing the elephant near Durgapur in the east Juri union last Friday (24 May).
"The elephant appeared very weak and had visible injuries. The cause of its illness will not be determined until it is examined," Hossain said.
Latithila is the only forest in the Sylhet division, and it is home to just four female wild elephants. Locals have also pointed out the absence of male elephants in the forest, which hampers the growth of the elephant population.
They fear that if the current situation continues, the forest may be devoid of elephants in a few years. They emphasise the urgency of treating the sick female elephant to prevent its death.
Historically, these elephants spent most of their time in the Surma Bash Mahal area of the forest, where their main food source, bamboo, was abundant. Although there is still enough food in the forest, the elephants now roam around in Lathitila.
Elephants in this region are decreasing due to various factors, including habitat loss. The locals stress the need for increased advocacy to protect these animals.
