Diseases accounted for the maximum deaths of elephants in the Coimbatore forest division between 2014-15 and 2019-20.
According to statistics provided by the Forest Department, of the 87 elephant deaths over six years (up to December 31, 2019), as many as 33 animals died due to various diseases. Natural causes led to the death of 24 elephants, and 13 died of complications resulting out of injuries in the wild.
According to a senior forest veterinarian, the number of elephant deaths was well within the levels of expected mortality rate of the animal in the wild.
“The seven ranges in the forest division house a large number of elephants that move between the Kerala and the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve. Deaths due to ageing, diseases and injuries caused by infighting will definitely be much lower than the birth rate,” said the veterinarian.
Human intervention
Data shows that 17 elephants were killed due to direct intervention of humans, in the form of electrocution, poaching and accidents.
While eight elephants were electrocuted during the period, mostly due to illegal electric fencing, two fell victim to poaching. Seven elephants were killed in accidents, many of them hit by trains on the track that falls under the Madukarai forest range.
Chief conservator of forests, Coimbatore circle, Debasis Jana, said efforts were being taken to tackle problems such as use of illegal electric fencing by farmers and accidents on the railway track near Madukarai.
To address the problem of elephants coming in contact with low-lying electric lines, the department is working with Tangedco to rise the level of the lines.
