Female elephant gored to death by tusker (India)
Female elephant gored to death by tusker (India)
MeriNews
July 20, 2008
IN A RARE attack of passion, a female elephant was killed by a tusker on Monday night (July 28) in the Hatipota forest of Buxa Tiger Reserve in north Bengal. Two male elephants from the herd of wild elephants seen in the neighbourhood had been pursuing the female. A fight broke out between the males during the night while the female stood by watching.
As one of the male elephants tried to walk away with his mate, the second elephant charged and gored the female with his tusk. The female died on the spot. Her viscera have been sent to Kolkata for examination.
A herd of about 15 wild elephants has recently been sighted in the Buxa Tiger Reserve area. On Monday night, the herd returned to Hatipota after a brief sojourn into the neighbouring tea estate.
The death of a female elephant by a tusker is described as unusual by experts. It implies neither of the males wanted the rival to bag the female nor were they willing to be rejected by her. Such is not in keeping with the normal behaviour pattern of elephants. According to elephant researchers, stress is one of the major causes of deviant behaviour among the pachyderms. In the forests of north Bengal, the sources of stress come as habitat loss, fragmentation and a skewed male female ratio.
“Over the past few years there has been an increase in the ratio of males compared to females in the forests of north Bengal. Fights for a mate among elephants are on the rise. These often result in death of one of the males,” S Sengupta, the deputy director (east) of Buxa Tiger Reserve was quoted as saying.
But, there are other reasons too that cannot be ignored. In the early 90s, international ivory trade was banned and the market opened up for illegal trading. This led to indiscriminate poaching of wild tuskers.
A baby elephant learns social behaviour from its immediate and extended family. Elephants have matriarchal societies but the guidance of dominant males is vitally important for the calves as they grow up.
Elephants live on an average for 60 years. A baby of the 90s is an adult today. Not unlike a human, the young adult has not acquired the basics of social behaviour.
This accounts for the spate of violence among elephants as well between man and elephant that is recently observed. Battle for a mate should not turn into extreme violence towards the object of desire. Yet, that is what is happening in the forests of north Bengal and elsewhere in the country.
It is high time the authorities woke up to the fact that in nature and among the wildlife any action today is inevitably going to have far reaching consequences tomorrow and the day after.
Article at the following link:
http://india.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=138504
MeriNews
July 20, 2008
IN A RARE attack of passion, a female elephant was killed by a tusker on Monday night (July 28) in the Hatipota forest of Buxa Tiger Reserve in north Bengal. Two male elephants from the herd of wild elephants seen in the neighbourhood had been pursuing the female. A fight broke out between the males during the night while the female stood by watching.
As one of the male elephants tried to walk away with his mate, the second elephant charged and gored the female with his tusk. The female died on the spot. Her viscera have been sent to Kolkata for examination.
A herd of about 15 wild elephants has recently been sighted in the Buxa Tiger Reserve area. On Monday night, the herd returned to Hatipota after a brief sojourn into the neighbouring tea estate.
The death of a female elephant by a tusker is described as unusual by experts. It implies neither of the males wanted the rival to bag the female nor were they willing to be rejected by her. Such is not in keeping with the normal behaviour pattern of elephants. According to elephant researchers, stress is one of the major causes of deviant behaviour among the pachyderms. In the forests of north Bengal, the sources of stress come as habitat loss, fragmentation and a skewed male female ratio.
“Over the past few years there has been an increase in the ratio of males compared to females in the forests of north Bengal. Fights for a mate among elephants are on the rise. These often result in death of one of the males,” S Sengupta, the deputy director (east) of Buxa Tiger Reserve was quoted as saying.
But, there are other reasons too that cannot be ignored. In the early 90s, international ivory trade was banned and the market opened up for illegal trading. This led to indiscriminate poaching of wild tuskers.
A baby elephant learns social behaviour from its immediate and extended family. Elephants have matriarchal societies but the guidance of dominant males is vitally important for the calves as they grow up.
Elephants live on an average for 60 years. A baby of the 90s is an adult today. Not unlike a human, the young adult has not acquired the basics of social behaviour.
This accounts for the spate of violence among elephants as well between man and elephant that is recently observed. Battle for a mate should not turn into extreme violence towards the object of desire. Yet, that is what is happening in the forests of north Bengal and elsewhere in the country.
It is high time the authorities woke up to the fact that in nature and among the wildlife any action today is inevitably going to have far reaching consequences tomorrow and the day after.
Article at the following link:
http://india.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=138504