An ailing elephant that was being treated by a team of veterinarians at Kozhikamuthi elephant camp of the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) died early on Thursday.
The female elephant, aged between five and seven, was undergoing treatment in a kraal, after being rescued from a dense forest area of the Ulandy forest range of ATR on Monday. The elephant was found unable to move, due to a large wound on its right lower hind limb. Its left hind limb also had a wound, apart from multiple abscesses on different parts of the body.
According to the Forest Department, the elephant collapsed inside the kraal on Wednesday evening as it was unable to stand on its wounded legs. Forest veterinary officer A. Sukumar said that the animal had septicemia due to the infections in its limbs.
An expert team of veterinarians from the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS) had examined the elephant and dressed the wound on its right hind leg on Wednesday. The team, headed by professor S. Dharmaceelan had opined that the infection from the severe wound on the right hind leg has progressed inside.
The elephant’s condition deteriorated on Wednesday evening and it collapsed. It died early on Thursday morning, said S. Ramasubramanian, Conservator of Forests and Field Director, ATR.
Elephant found dead in forest
Another wild elephant was found dead within the limits of the Manambolly forest range of ATR on Thursday morning.
Officials said that a female elephant was found dead in a forest near the Kurangumudi tea estate. The carcass was found in a decomposing state, and officials presume that it died a week ago.
According to Manambolly forest range officer A. Manikandan, frontline staff spotted the carcass during a patrol. The staff found multiple piercing wounds on the carcass, indicating that it could have been killed in a fight with a male elephant, probably in a mating attempt.
