Anthrax fear in Dibrugarh: elephant carcass found

The carcass was discovered two days later, after an elephant calf was found dead inside the Jeypore rainforest in Naharkatiya, Tinsukia on December 2.

The cause of the death of both elephants is same.

A Veterinarian from Naharkatiya has suspected that the elephant calf has died of a contagious disease. And after examining the carcass of the elephant rescued on December 2, doctors revealed that the calf was infected with a disease called anthrax.

In this regard, the Department of Forests of Dibrugarh has informed that there is a high risk of contracting the disease from water or dust that comes in contact with the carcasses of other previously infected animals or an animal that died of this particular disease. They said, "In this context, this elephant carcass also may infect more animals, even humans, in the forest in the future."

It is noteworthy that in the past, 18 elephants have died in a forest in Odisha due to this particular disease.

Thus keeping in view the death toll and to prevent such a situation the Jeypore Forest Department had set fire to the dead elephant instead of burying the body.

According to the doctors if the carcass is buried also even after 10 years it's residual water or exposure to the soil can pose a serious threat to other animals and humans.

Anthrax is an "acute widespread Infectious Disease " that occurs throughout the globe and is particularly prevalent in herbivorous animals. Animals like goats, horses, pigs may get the infection as well and because it is a zoonotic disease, humans can get the infection through infected cattle. The disease is found in all parts of the world and, in India, it occurs countrywide. Some districts are even considered as anthrax districts (anthrax belts).

It is commonly found among animals in the southern Indian states and is rarely found in the northern Indian states.

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