Elephant calf killed three tigers in Bandhavgarh: Forest official

A ba wild elephant was reportedly killed three tigers in Badhavgarh Tiger Reserve (BTR) in Umaria drict on Saturday, said a forest official.

The carcass of calf was found on Tuesday morning. (Representative file image)

Sub-divisional officer of forest Panpatha core of BTR, L Bharti said, “The one-and-a-half-year-old elephant calf got dracted from the herd while drinking water. At least three tigers attacked and killed the calf. The carcass of calf was found on Tuesday morning.”
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Bharti said, “We found pug marks of three tigers near the spot. There were also marks of struggle among tigers and the calf. This was the first time in the state that a wild elephant was hunted tigers.”
However, forest officials said this was a normal phenomenon. It is uncommon in MP but in south and northeastern states’ national parks, the calf of an elephant is a regular prey of tigers.
Principal chief conservator of forest (PCCF) (wildlife) JS Chauhan said, “A calf killed the tigers happened for the first time in Madhya Pradesh as the state hardly had a wild elephant population. Now, wild elephants are making colonies in the national parks of MP, neighbouring Chhattisgarh and this will happen.”
For the past four years, wild elephants have been making colonies in Bandhavgarh and Sanjar Tiger Reserves.
Badhavgarh Tiger Reserve (BTR), which is a home of 124 tigers, has more than 40 wild elephants.