Female elephant carcass found in Deogarh forest, natural death suspected
Forest officials found a female elephant carcass in Deogarh’s Jharaberni Khesra forest and suspect natural death, sending samples for testing.
Forest officials discovered the carcass of a female elephant in Jharaberni Khesra forest near Jharaberni village, Deogarh district, on Friday night, August 21, 2026. The animal, estimated to be nine to ten years old, appeared to have died about ten days earlier. Kundheigola forester informed the Deogarh forest division about the carcass at 10.35 pm. ACF (administration), Riamal range officer, forest staff, rapid response team and members of the forest squad reached the spot and guarded the carcass. Officials and veterinary personnel examined the site on Saturday.
What did the examination reveal?
Officials from the Deogarh forest division, including the ACF (administration), range officer, forest staff, rapid response team and forest squad, reached the spot and guarded the carcass. They examined the site on Saturday and estimated the elephant’s age at around nine to ten years. The animal appeared to have died around ten days earlier. After a post‑mortem, the carcass was buried. Muscle tissue and other samples were collected for laboratory analysis. A preliminary investigation indicated that the elephant may have died of natural causes, but officials stressed that the exact cause would be known only after test results. Swadhinata Sahani, ACF (administration), Deogarh forest division, said: “The cause of death of female elephant is likely to be natural. We will send today the collected samples to CWH for further testing. The exact cause of death will be known after obtaining report from CWH, Bhubaneswar.”
What happens next?
The collected samples will be sent to the Centre for Wildlife Health at Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) in Bhubaneswar for further examination. Sahani added that the exact cause of death will be known after the report is received from the Centre for Wildlife Health, Bhubaneswar. Forest officials said they will await the laboratory results before confirming the cause, and that the carcass has already been buried in accordance with protocol.
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Where was the female elephant carcass found?
The carcass was found in Jharaberni Khesra forest near Jharaberni village, Deogarh district.
When was the carcass discovered?
It was discovered on Friday night, August 21, 2026.
How old was the elephant estimated to be?
The elephant was estimated to be nine to ten years old.
What did officials suspect as the cause of death?
Officials suspected the elephant may have died of natural causes.
What samples were collected from the carcass?
Muscle tissue and other samples were collected.
Where will the samples be sent for testing?
The samples will be sent to the Centre for Wildlife Health at Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) in Bhubaneswar.
Who is the ACF (administration) quoted in the article?
Swadhinata Sahani is the ACF (administration) of Deogarh forest division quoted in the article.
What did the ACF say about the cause of death?
He said the cause of death is likely natural and that the exact cause will be known after receiving the test report from CWH, Bhubaneswar.
What steps were taken after the post‑mortem?
After the post‑mortem, the carcass was buried and samples were collected for laboratory analysis.
When will the exact cause of death be known?
The exact cause of death will be known after the test reports are received from the Centre for Wildlife Health, Bhubaneswar.
Manisha Naik
District Correspondent, Deogarh
Manisha Naik covers Deogarh's forest and wildlife beat, rural development, and local governance, reporting from the district headquarters.
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