A carcass of a tusker was sighted near Ambapani nullah under Dukura range inside Similipal sanctuary today, officials said.
"Blood was oozing out of its mouth while its tusks were intact which made us believe that the nine year old jumbo might have died of anthrax", Sanjay Kumar Swain, divisional forest officer of Baripada, said.
Blood samples of the deceased tusker were collected and sent to the Animal Disease Research Institute (ADRI), Phulanakhara to ascertain the exact cause of death, he said.
At least nine elephants are reported to have died in Mayurbhanj district since last month.
In similar circumstances two elephants had died of anthrax last year, the DFO said.
To ward off the possibility of anthrax, more than 8000 domestic animals were inoculated in the periphery of Similipal sanctuary following the confirmation of anthrax in blood samples of the jumbos by the ADRI, Phulanakhara, the DFO added.
