By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR/KALAHANDI: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has expressed deep concern over death of elephants in Karlapat Wildlife Sanctuary in Kalahandi. Chief Minister Patnaik asked Forest and Environment Department and Fisheries & Animal Resources Development Department to take immediate action on this and advised to take help from experts from state and outside to prevent such deaths.
In last 15 days, as many as 6 elephants have been died and the latest death was reported on Sunday when a female elephant was found dead near a waterbody. Of the 6 elephant deaths, five were female and one a calf. According to 2018 census, Karlapart houseed 17 elephants and now the number came down to 11 in just less than a fortnight.
Karlapat Wildlife Sanctuary spead over extending 175 square kilometer area is famous for lush green dry deciduous forest, varieties of flora and fauna like, elephant, leopard, Gaur, Sambar, barking deer, Indian wolf, wild dog, wild pig, sloth bear, Malbar giant squirrel and Pangolin.
This Sanctuary was first notified in 1969 by the conservator of Forest and was formally notified under the Wild life protection Act of 1972 in 1992. The undulated topography of the Sanctuary, with Hills, valleys and perennial streams including Sagada River and its tributaries with deep water pools in places gives it unique charm.
