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Christmas celebrations for the animals at the Hacienda Napoles zoo, in Puerto Triunfo
(Chaibasa, India) — Authorities in eastern India are scrambling to contain a rampaging elephant that has terrorized several rural communities, leaving at least 22 people dead over the past ten days. According to reports cited by TMZ, the elephant first went rogue on New Year’s Day in the Chaibasa region, storming into villages and attacking residents. The violence has since spread to neighboring areas including Hatgamharia, Bada Pasiya, and Lampaisa, where additional fatalities have been confirmed. The situation took an even darker turn when an experienced wildlife expert, brought in to help stop the animal, was among those killed.
Wildlife officials are divided over what triggered the elephant’s extreme aggression. Some believe the animal is a sub-adult male experiencing musth, a hormonal condition known to cause heightened aggression and unpredictable behavior, while others suggest the young bull may be in a mating phase that has intensified its hostility. Authorities are now racing against time to tranquilize or otherwise restrain the elephant before more lives are lost, even as frightened villagers remain on edge and avoid venturing outside after dark.
