The livestock in villages adjacent to the Namsang area in Soraipung range of Jopypur Reserved Forest in Assam’s Dibrugarh district will be revaccinated against anthrax from Thursday.
Forest officials have decided to revaccinate the livestock after a female elephant carcass found in the Namsang area was found to be infected with anthrax.
The forest department has also prohibited fishing in the reserved forest as a precautionary measure.
Forest officials had discovered a sub-adult female elephant carcass in the area recently.
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Within 36 hours another elephant carcass was found 500 meters away from the first.
Forest officials had burnt both the carcasses after conducting autopsy on them.
Anthrax is one of the most fatal diseases infecting elephants and is caused by a bacterium that leads to high fever, shivering, ulcers and swellings.
Villagers of the adjacent villages are worried that their livestock may be infected by the deadly disease.
“We will also conduct an awareness programme in the villages adjoining the Namsang area on Thursday to sensitize the locals about the disease and how to prevent its outbreak,” said a forest official.