Keonjhar: Forest officials in Keonjhar wildlife division, Anandapur, seized the carcass of a female elephant, around 50 years in age from Jhunapasi forest near Pitanau village inside Hadagarh elephant sanctuary on Thursday.

The elephant passed away due to old age and a young jumbo from the herd mourned deeply, refusing to leave its side, standing by its side for nearly a day trying to wake up the animal.
According to a source in the forest department, the elephant had been seen in the area a few days earlier. Upon receiving the information, a team of forest officials, along with an elephant driving squad and a veterinary doctor, went to the location.
Abhay Kumar Dalei, divisional forest officer of Anandpur wildlife division, said, “Preliminary investigation suggests natural death due to old age. After post-mortem, the body was buried in the forest. Further investigation will determine if there were any other causes.”