Elephant calf dies in Barkal’s Barunachhari
An elephant calf has died in Barunachhari, Barkal upazila, after apparently slipping from a steep hillside into Kaptai Lake, according to forest officials.
The incident is believed to have occurred on Monday night (20 October) in the area under the Kachalangmukh Forest Customs and Inspection Outpost of the Parbatya Chattogram North Forest Division.
A team led by Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Md Rafiquzzaman Shah attempted throughout Tuesday to retrieve the carcass but was unsuccessful, as the calf's mother remained on an adjacent knoll and repeatedly charged at rescuers.
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"The calf likely slipped down the steep slope into Kaptai Lake on Monday night," the DFO said, adding that recovery operations were constrained by the mother's proximity.
The Forest Department will resume recovery efforts on Wednesday, after which a post-mortem by a veterinary surgeon will determine the exact cause of death.
The DFO said there are thirteen to fourteen elephants, including calves, in the Barunachhari area. The calf's exact age is yet to be confirmed.
