Illegal Power Snares Kill 2 Elephants Near Talakona Reserve Forest
According to sources, the elephants reportedly touched electric fencing laid around a mango orchard near Nerabailu village, leading to their death on the spot
Nellore: Two sub-adult Asian elephants were electrocuted after coming into contact with illegal power snares laid around agricultural fields near the Talakona Reserve Forest, forest officials said on Monday.
The incident came to light early in the morning when forest officials received information around 7 am about two elephant carcasses found in agricultural fields near Chinthakunta village in Erravaripalem mandal, about 450 metres from the reserve forest boundary in the Talakona South Beat of Bhakarapeta Range.
Forest staff rushed to the spot and confirmed that the two elephants — a male and a female sub-adults estimated to be around 11 to 12 years old — had died due to electrocution.
A preliminary examination revealed that the animals had come into contact with an illegal live-wire trap laid around farmland to hunt wild animals. The snares were reportedly made using aluminium conducting wires connected to a 33/11 kV transmission line, creating a deadly trap.
According to V. Saibaba, the elephants were resident individuals of the Talakona Reserve Forest that occasionally ventured into nearby agricultural lands in search of food.
However, their movement had largely remained within the forest over the past three months. On Sunday night, while moving out of the forest through the Old Saibulapalle route towards agricultural fields, the elephants reportedly encountered the electrified wires and died instantly.
The agricultural lands where the incident occurred belong to Shaik Akthar, who owns a mango orchard, and Shaik Shameer, who cultivates groundnut and mango crops in Chinthakunta village.
Forest authorities registered a case in the Bhakarapeta Range on Monday.
As per the Standard Operating Procedures of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Project Elephant, a committee headed by the district forest officer has been constituted to investigate the incident. Post-mortem examinations of the carcasses are being conducted.
Forest officials said a detailed investigation is underway to identify those responsible for laying the illegal electric traps.
