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Tusker poisoned, black buck
lynched at Corbett Park

A tusker was suspected to have been poisoned on the periphery of the world famous Corbett wildlife park in Nainital district, under the newly created hill state of Uttranchal, about 400 km from here earlier this week.

This was followed by the killing of a black buck that strayed from the park to a village in Barielly district on Friday afternoon.

Two persons have been arrested for the killing of the black buck, while a hunt had been launched by wildlife officials to nab those who poisoned the elephant, officials said.

Corbett Park director P C Joshi told rediff.com over the telephone on Saturday that the full grown tusker was found dead at Bijrani on December 26.

He said, "Apparently, the elephant had been poisoned by poachers involved in tusk smuggling; the tusks appear to have been cut with a hacksaw."

There were neither injury marks or wounds on the body, nor was the elephant old enough to die.

Joshi said, "Poachers generally get on the trail of rogue elephants, who move about away from the herd; once they draw the animal in the neighbourhood of a human settlement in the forest, they find it convenient to poison their food.

According to Joshi, "This is the second tusker poisoning case in the area over four months, the last being in September." Records showed the killing of at least six tuskers over five years, posing a threat to the rich elephant population at the park.

He said that there were about 650 elephants in the park, according to the last census in 1999. "The number was expected to increase in a fresh count to be undertaken shortly," he added.

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