Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/indian-elephants-kill-man/

It’s been reported that a man in India was trampled to death by an angry herd of elephants after a baby pachyderm belonging to them was killed by local villagers. Elephants are known to be one of the most intelligent creatures on the planet and are often cited for their remarkable memories. They are also known for being fiercely protective and not above revenge when tormented or abused. That appears to be the case in this incident.

Elephants Never Forget

According to several sources, the man was trampled in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh while he was out tending to his cattle. Exactly who killed the calf is unclear at this point, but the blame has been put on villagers after the juvenile elephant’s remains were found buried on a nearby farm. The incidents took place in the Katghora forest division.

“An elephant calf, around one year old, was allegedly killed by locals and buried in a field in Bania village under Pasan forest range sometime earlier this week,” stated Premlata Yadav, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO).

Indian Elephants

It’s not unusual for elephants in this region to exact revenge on humans. The deaths are frequently in connection to shrinking habitats as locals continue to infringe on the elephants’ territory through the expansion of farming. The herd of 44 elephants entered the nearby Devmatti village in the Jatga range where they promptly trampled Pintawar Singh and his three cattle to death. “Forest personnel have been monitoring the herd’s movement. Locals have been advised to remain alert and avoid going near the herd,” Yadav added.

Baby Elephants

Reports also noted that a team of forest officials had visited the Bania village after receiving a tip about the calf’s demise. Once there, officials discovered a patch of land where the remains were said to be buried. Forest personnel exhumed them and the exact cause of death will be determined after the autopsy is concluded. The owner of the farm where the calf was located was said to have been detained for questioning.

Human-Animal Conflict

This particular herd of elephants allegedly damaged crops on 22 acres of land in three separate villages over a two-day period. Human-elephant conflict has become a growing problem in northern Chhattisgarh for the last 10 years. They have also increased in the central region of the state in the last few years. The districts predominantly impacted by human-elephant conflict are Surguja, Raigarh, Korba, Surajpur, Gariaband, Jashpur, and Balrampur.

According to forest department officials, at least 210 people have been killed in elephant attacks in the state over the last three years. In Africa and India, elephants considered problematic are killed each year by wildlife authorities, poachers, and angry villagers. The battle for terrain continues to be the problem.

Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog