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 | | Tuesday, 16 October, 2001, 21:52 GMT 22:52 UK Poisoned water fears for elephants  Elephant numbers have mushroomed in Assam By the BBC's Subir Bhaumik in Calcutta Wildlife authorities in the eastern Indian state of Assam say at least 11 elephants have died in a thickly forested area over the last two days. The corpses were recovered in a forest north of the town of Tezpur in the state's Sonitpur district. The authorities say the animal deaths may well be the result of farmers poisoning the watering holes used by elephants. Thirty-four elephants are reported to have died of mysterious causes in the state over the last two months. Frequent attacks Sonitpur is located within the long corridor through which the Great Siamese elephants migrate from northern Thailand through north Burma and all the way to the foothills of Bhutan.
Due to an ever-increasing growth of human settlements in Assam, particularly in the Sonitpur district, the elephants have been frequently attacking villages, killing people, destroying crops and flattening houses. Angry farmers had on several occasions used fire torches and drums to chase them away. But in recent months they have started poisoning water sources used by the elephants. Wildlife officials in the state say this is a dangerous trend. Assam's elephant population has sharply risen in recent years and the state's wildlife department has admitted reports about rogue elephants which frequently run amok. One rogue elephant killed as many as 42 during a week of violent behaviour nine years ago. But wildlife officials say that if farmers start poisoning elephants at random, it will disturb the animals' movement through the age-old corridor. | | See also:  Internet links: The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites Top South Asia stories now:  Links to more South Asia stories are at the foot of the page. | |
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