A young cow elephant with its new born calf was found dead deep in the Anchanakuzhi forest area near Rajakoop late on Monday evening. Divion Forest Officer A.K. Salim of the Thenmala Forest Division told The Hindu that the deaths that occurred at the Aryankavu Forest Range in Kollam district were delivery related.
Forest tribesmen living in the Rajakoop area were the first to notice the carcasses. They informed the forest personnel of Aryankavu range at night. In the morning on Tuesday a team of forest officers and veterinary surgeons led by Mr. Salim inspected the carcasses and conducted the post mortem examination.
Mr. Salim said that the examination had concluded that the deaths were delivery related. The carcasses were fresh and could not be more than one day old. The carcasses had not been attacked by any scavenging animals.
Preliminary examination of the cow elephant showed that it was the animal’s maiden delivery. The calf is suspected to be still born, Mr. Salim said. A pyre was built at the site and both the carcasses were cremated, later in the afternoon.
