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Anthrax scare in Jharkhand elephant reserve

DH News Service Ranchi:

The death of an elephant due to anthrax near Narayanbera village in Kharswan forest has sent forest officials into a tizzy.

Confirming the death due to the deadly disease, Jharkhand Chief Wildlife warden U R Biswas said an alert has been sounded in Singhbhum Elephant reserve.

“The primary investigation in the course of the postmortem by a veterinarian revealed that the elephant’s spleen was swollen, while blood containing poisonous liquid was oozing out from its external parts like nose, mouth and ear. All these suggest symptoms of anthrax case. However, the viscera of the tusker has been sent to a Patna-based animal forensic department for further investigation,” he said.

The pachyderm was found dead near Narayanbera village in Kharswan forest under Kharsawan block of adjoining Seraikela-Kharsawan district on Wednesday. Forest officials said villagers had been observing the sluggish movement of the elephant for some time.

The officials suspect the transmission of the disease to the tusker from cattle. “We have asked residents of nearby villages to inform us about sickness or death of cattle in their respective villages,” a forest official said.

Asked as to what step being taken by the department to check the spread of disease, a forest official on the condition of anonymity said, “I am not very hopeful that the department would be able to do much to contain the disease if it assumes the form of an epidemic. The department is not equipped to tackle the anthrax case. You just take it from me that even a good number of forest personnel do not know what this disease is all about.”