Elephant calf dies in Golaghat tea estate canal Rajib Dutta, The Times of India December 7, 2024 See link <https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/tragic-death-of-elephant-calf-in-golaghat-tea-estate-canal/articleshow/116077009.cms> for photo. Dibrugarh: A young elephant calf, aged 3-4 years, was found dead in an irrigation canal at the Mikirchang Tea Estate in the Bokakhat area of Golaghat district early Saturday morning. Tea estate workers discovered it while heading to their morning shift. Officials from the Numaligarh Forest Range said the calf was part of a wild elephant herd that had descended from a nearby hill, just 700 metres away, in search of food. A preliminary investigation suggests that the calf may have separated from its herd before accidentally falling into the estate's irrigation canal. "The canal was not very deep, measuring about 2 feet. It is possible that other elephants attempted to rescue the calf, but due to the narrow size of the canal, they inadvertently pushed it deeper. A post-mortem examination will be conducted to provide further clarity on the cause of death," a forest official said. Residents shared their experience of cohabiting with the elephant herd, noting that the animals frequently venture down from the hills for food but usually leave without causing harm. The area known for its lush grazing grounds and nearby water sources, has become a regular grazing area for the herd. "It's like we are cohabiting with the elephants. They don't harm anyone. They frequently come down from the hills to graze and use the waterbody for drinking and bathing. The death of the elephant calf has immensely saddened us," Pranab Tanti, a local said. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/tragic-death-of-elephant-calf-in-golaghat-tea-estate-canal/articleshow/116077009.cms