Infighting causes tusker death in Corbett’s Dhela (Dehradun) Shivani Azad, The Hindu March 18, 2024 A male adult tusker was found dead in the Dhela zone of Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR) on Saturday. Frontline forest staff on routine patrol stumbled upon the carcass, which bore significant wounds on its body and had also been scavenged. The postmortem examination report of the elephant confirmed that deep wounds from infighting were the primary cause of its demise, Corbett authorities said. “The elephant, approximately 20 years old, was discovered deep within the forests, suggesting it may have engaged in a confrontation with another elephant, leading to its demise during the scuffle,” an officer of the CTR said. Since the formation of Uttarakhand till 2023, at least 187 jumbos have died naturally, 96 died in conflict, 78 succumbed to various accidents, 23 were killed after being hit by train and 9 were killed by poachers. In the last 24 years, at least 500 jumbos have died in the state according to the data of forest department. In the recent past, elephants dying after being hit by a train and electrocution had remained among major concerns of forest officials while trying to protect them. Western circle and Pauri and Haridwar districts are the prominent landscapes where jumbos are found in the state. The current census indicates that a total of 2026 elephants are present in Uttarakhand. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/dehradun/tragic-tusker-death-in-corbetts-dhela-infighting-claims-male-adult-tuskers-life/articleshow/108571630.cms