A wild elephant was found dead in Teknaf upazila of Cox's Bazar district on Saturday.
The staff of the Forest Department spotted the carcass in the Leda Hill area on Saturday morning and informed the Forest Department, said Md Sarwar Alam, divisional officer of Cox's Bazar South Forest Department. Later, forest officials went to the spot and recovered it.
The elephant was male and about 70 years old, added the officer. At least 8 elephants died in Cox's Bazar in the last 5 years.
According to the locals, the elephant had teeth and forest terrorists might have killed the elephant to smuggle the tusks. However, forest officials suspect the elephant died due to old age.
Deepak Sharma Dipu, president of Cox's Bazar Forest and Environment Conservation Council, said that the elephant could have died due to starvation or it was killed to get its teeth.
The matter needs to be seriously investigated, he added. Divisional Forest Officer Sarwar Alam said, 'Veterinary doctor and Teknaf Upazila Animal Resources Officer did the autopsy of the elephant. Initially, it is believed that the elephant died due to old age.
In this regard, Teknaf Upazila Animal Resources Officer Abul Kalam Azad said a general diary was also registered at Teknaf police station.
