Two elephants poached for tusks

Poachers have shot dead two elephants in the Male Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary near here for their tusks.

The incident came to light on Monday when shepherds found two carcasses within a distance of about two km near the Mullupanjara forest area. The elephants, both male and 15-25 years old, are suspected to have been shot dead four days ago.

B P Ravi, Chief Conservator of Forests, Chamarajanagar, Javed Mumtaz, the Kollegal Deputy Conservator of Forests, and other officials visited the spot.

Staff shortage
The Palar wildlife division is attached to the Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu. With the Forest Department being short of staff, it has become easy for poachers to enter the forest from Tamil Nadu, sources claimed. As a result, poaching of elephants, deer and other wild animals is going unchecked in the region, the sources added.