Elephant killing increases in Cox's Bazar forests

OUR CORRESPONDENT

COX'S BAZAR, Sept 02: The number of killing incidents of elephant increased in the forest area of Cox's Bazar. Elephants are being shot and killed in dangerous traps inside the forest. As a result, the pastures of elephants are getting smaller.

According to the International Organization for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Forest Department, 98 elephants have been killed in the last 20 years.

On July 6, a 70-year-old elephant died in the Dariardighi forest area of Khuniapalang union of Ramu upazila. The elephant fell down the mountain slope after eating bamboo shoots and died. It is believed that the elephant was killed eating poisonous bamboo shoots. Miscreants mixed something poisonous in the shoots.

At least 20 elephants died abnormally in Cox's Bazar and surrounding forest areas in the last five years. Most of the elephants were killed by bullets and electric traps.

On August 30, 2021, a wild elephant was electrocuted in Dhankhet in Dhwapalong village of Ramu upazila. To cover up the incident, the elephant was cut into pieces with a sharp weapon and buried in the ground. The incident came to light when the local hunters saw the elephant's head and legs buried in the ground and informed the forest staff and the police.

In November 2021, a dead elephant buried after being killed in Chakria Harbang was recovered. No one knew that the elephant had been quietly buried in the pit after being brutally killed. Two days later, the forest department recovered the body of the elephant from the hole. But it is not known who killed the elephant.

In this way, dead elephants are now found in Eidgaon, Chakaria, Teknaf, Ukhia and Ramur of Cox's Bazar.

In the latest 2016 survey by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), 268 Asian elephants lived in some areas of the country including Cox's Bazar and Chittagong Hill Tracts. The survey identified 12 elephant movement corridors. Through the corridors elephants move from one place to another in search of food. Due to the occupation of the corridors and the construction of structures, elephants have become aggressive.

Forest department officials and environmentalists said that the roaming of elephants in the country is decreasing rapidly. Five elephant movement corridors have been closed in the last few years. The giant animal is trying to move through human settlements. And people get panicked and attack and kill them.

There are more than 70 Asian elephants roaming in Ukhia, Teknaf, Chakria and Ramu forests of Cox's Bazar. Due to grabbing of forest land and excessive cutting of trees, elephant habitat is being destroyed. As a result, the animals come to the locality due to food and habitat shortage.

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