Investigation of Elephants Struck by Lightning in India

The death of at least 18 ‘lightning-struck’ elephants in the Indian state of Assam is under further investigation by authorities and conservationists.

The death of so many elephants at once in a wildlife park is considered suspicious by conservationists. The animals are said to have been hit late in the forest in the Nagaon region during severe weather on Wednesday evening.

The park’s management has cited lightning as the cause of death, but a squad of veterinarians and conservationists went to the ‘mass grave’ in the forest on Friday to perform an autopsy. Some fear the animals have been poisoned.

In recent years, in India, including in this region, there have been increasing clashes between humans and elephants, resulting in deaths on both sides. It is mainly because people penetrate deeper into nature reserves where the Asian elephants live in the wild.

It’s not the first time elephants have been killed by lightning. The head of conservation in Assam told The Hindu newspaper that five elephants in West Bengal state were previously killed by lightning, but he thinks 18 at the same time is very much.