A newborn elephant was found dead in Bhavani river in the Gobanari reserve forest of Karamadai range on Thursday.
Forest officials said that the male calf, aged around 15 days, could have been carried away by strong undercurrent in the river following recent showers.
It was around 12.30 p.m. on Thursday, field staff of Forest Department found the carcass of the calf stuck on a tree on the banks of the river at Poochamarathur forest section coming under Velliangadu east of Gobanari reserve forest.
R. Muthukrishnan, Forest Range Officer, Karamadai Range, said that the swollen carcass seemed one day old. The carcass had aberrations after carried away in water for a long distance.
Forest team retrieved the carcass which was later autopsied by veterinary surgeon N.S. Manoharan.
The findings suggested that the calf could have died of drowning while venturing into the river along with its herd.
Mr. Muthukrishnan said that the carcass was safely buried in a deep pit within the reserve forest after post-mortem.
