A tusker that was found dead in the water storage area of the Bhavanisagar Reservoir near Sirumugai on Tuesday could have died following an injury it suffered in the fight with another male elephant, according to veterinarians who conducted the post-mortem examination.
Forest Veterinary Officer A. Sukumar and assistant veterinary surgeon C. Thiyagarajan from Sirumugai autopsied the carcass in the presence of District Forest Officer T.K. Ashok Kumar, forest officials and representatives from non-governmental organisations on Wednesday.
The veterinarians opined that an injury found in the mouth of the elephant could have led to profuse blood loss. According to them, the fight could have resulted in multiple fractures in lower jaws, causing severe blood loss leading to acute anaemia, shock and death.
The carcass of the elephant was found when the field staff patrolled the water storage area of Bhavanisagar Reservoir, around 1 km away from the boundary of Mothur Pethikuttai reserve forest of Sirumugai range, on Tuesday noon.
