The Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR) authorities have recovered the carcass of a wild elephant from a spot along the railway track near the Manjhra forests of the Katarniaghat range, they said on Sunday.
The dead animal was a male of around 20 years of age, they added.
The residents of Khairatia (Khiri) and Manjhra (Bahraich) villages spotted the carcass on Saturday evening and informed the forest authorities.
Field Director, Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, Sanjay Pathak rushed to the spot, inspected the carcass and described the death as accidental.
"Prima facie, it appeared to be an accidental death. The tusker, after crossing a nullah adjacent to the railway line, was trying to traverse a mound. While getting down from the mound, it landed into a depressed area and its hind leg got entangled in the soil. It got down but could not get up, because of which it might have suffocated to death," Pathak said.
He added that the reason behind the pachyderm's death would be ascertained after the post-mortem examination.
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