Baripada, Nov. 27: The carcass of an adult female elephant was found inside a forest under Kaptipada range of Baripada division today, a day after two other carcasses were found inside the Similipal National Park.

With this latest incident, at least five jumbos, including a calf, have reportedly died within a week in various parts of Mayurbhanj district, raising concern among wildlife enthusiasts. Forest officials, however, said the elephant died of old age.

Baripada divisional forest officer Sanjay Swain said: "The female jumbo had grown old and was hearing impaired. We tracked it for about a year. It could have died of old age, but veterinarians are conducting a post-mortem."

Honorary wildlife warden Bhanumitra Acharya, however, said: "Although the female elephant was old, it was either poisoned by poachers or consumed pesticide or insecticide sprinkled in the crop field."

"Its body was intact when patrolling staff members discovered it," he said.

Yesterday, the decomposed bodies of a female elephant and a newborn calf were found at Pokhariguda forest in Ektali under Gudgudia range.

Karanjia divisional forest officer P.K. Behera had said they might have died due to post-delivery complications.

Earlier on Saturday, the headless carcass of a tusker, with its tusks removed, was found at Dhusura near Bijatola under Rairangpur division.

Two days later, local residents discovered another dead tusker with its tusks missing at Jamda under the same division. Divisional forest officers are still to ascertain the cause of these deaths.