<p>Bengaluru: The case of missing tusks from an elephant skeleton with a hole in the skull in the Bhadra Tiger Reserve back in September has put the Forest Department in a spot which has directed officials in Bhadra Tiger Reserve to expedite the probe into the matter.</p><p>On September 14, an elephant skeleton was found about 100 metres away from the shoreline of the Bhadra backwaters in Andhra beat, Lakkavalli Range of the tiger reserve. There was no muscle/tissue and algal growth was observed. </p><p>Activists pointed to the two holes in the skull and said the skeleton was that of a male elephant poached for its tusks. The veterinary officer who conducted the postmortem exam classified the animal as a female adult aged 10-15 years based on the skull morphometry. However, she recommended DNA analysis "to confirm the species, age and sex" of the animal.</p>.Ken-Betwa River Linking Project poses serious threat to Panna Tiger Reserve: Congress.<p>As the DNA analysis report from the Chennai Advanced Institute for Wildlife Conservation confirmed the animal to be a male elephant, questions were raised about the missing skull. The delay in the finding of the skeleton and the missing tusks led to many activists crying foul play.</p><p>After three months of investigation, however, officials have not been able to recover the tusks and nab the culprits. However, the department has relied on a report by the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) to rule out claims of poaching. "The report rules out the possibility of the hole being made by a gunshot. It is possible that the scavenger birds had made a hole," an official said.</p><p>BTR director Yashpal Kshirsagar said they have questioned several people in the case. "We have taken the matter seriously. A wildlife offence case has already been filed. Several people, including our staffers, are suspects. We have questioned them about the missing tusks," he said.</p><p>Activist Dinesh Kallahalli, who wrote to forest minister Eshwar Khandre and Chief Wildlife Warden Subhash Malkhede, said that the department officials, especially beat guards to rangers, have not noticed an elephant body rotting in the open for six months was a matter of surprise.</p><p>"There are several lapses in the case. They initially closed the matter stating it's a female. The postmortem was conducted by a veterinary doctor who was on contract basis and has no accountability. Till today, there is no convincing answer to the two holes in the skull," he said.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: The case of missing tusks from an elephant skeleton with a hole in the skull in the Bhadra Tiger Reserve back in September has put the Forest Department in a spot which has directed officials in Bhadra Tiger Reserve to expedite the probe into the matter.</p><p>On September 14, an elephant skeleton was found about 100 metres away from the shoreline of the Bhadra backwaters in Andhra beat, Lakkavalli Range of the tiger reserve. There was no muscle/tissue and algal growth was observed. </p><p>Activists pointed to the two holes in the skull and said the skeleton was that of a male elephant poached for its tusks. The veterinary officer who conducted the postmortem exam classified the animal as a female adult aged 10-15 years based on the skull morphometry. However, she recommended DNA analysis "to confirm the species, age and sex" of the animal.</p>.Ken-Betwa River Linking Project poses serious threat to Panna Tiger Reserve: Congress.<p>As the DNA analysis report from the Chennai Advanced Institute for Wildlife Conservation confirmed the animal to be a male elephant, questions were raised about the missing skull. The delay in the finding of the skeleton and the missing tusks led to many activists crying foul play.</p><p>After three months of investigation, however, officials have not been able to recover the tusks and nab the culprits. However, the department has relied on a report by the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) to rule out claims of poaching. "The report rules out the possibility of the hole being made by a gunshot. It is possible that the scavenger birds had made a hole," an official said.</p><p>BTR director Yashpal Kshirsagar said they have questioned several people in the case. "We have taken the matter seriously. A wildlife offence case has already been filed. Several people, including our staffers, are suspects. We have questioned them about the missing tusks," he said.</p><p>Activist Dinesh Kallahalli, who wrote to forest minister Eshwar Khandre and Chief Wildlife Warden Subhash Malkhede, said that the department officials, especially beat guards to rangers, have not noticed an elephant body rotting in the open for six months was a matter of surprise.</p><p>"There are several lapses in the case. They initially closed the matter stating it's a female. The postmortem was conducted by a veterinary doctor who was on contract basis and has no accountability. Till today, there is no convincing answer to the two holes in the skull," he said.</p>