Elephant found dead in Belur
A 25-year-old wild elephant died in Belur, India, after coming into contact with a sagging electric wire. The incident has sparked local frustration regarding human-elephant conflict and infrastructure safety in the region.
Why it matters
It underscores the ongoing challenges of wildlife conservation and infrastructure maintenance in areas prone to human-animal conflict.
A female wild elephant was found dead, after coming into contact with a sagging electric wire, at Kogilumane village in Belur taluk on Monday.
The elephant, aged about 25 years, was part of a recently formed herd locally referred to as the “dispatch” herd. The incident occurred in an area known for repeated instances of human-elephant conflict.
After the animal’s death, residents informed Forest Department officials. The Range Forest Officer of Belur had earlier written to officials of the Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation (CESC), flagging the sagging electric line in the locality.
Sourabh Kumar, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Hassan, told The Hindu that a post-mortem was conducted on Monday. “The animal died of electrocution. Its trunk came into contact with the sagging wire, leading to its death,” Mr. Kumar said.
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