The carcass of an elephant was found in a ravine inside the Coonoor range of The Nilgiris North Division on Monday.
A post-mortem examination by forest veterinarian N. S. Manoharan, in the presence of senior forest officials and members of the Nilgiri Wildlife and Environment Association, revealed that the female elephant, aged about ten years, had slipped and fallen from a height of about 150 to 200 feet.
Stating that “it suffered multiple injuries including a broken skull”, Dr. Manoharan told The Hindu that death must have been instantaneous. Evidence collected at the spot showed that the animal was eating bamboos when it plunged to its death. Pointing out that the terrain was hostile in that area, forest sources said that the animal would have fallen into the ravine about 60 to 72 hours ago.
In Erode , the carcass of a sub-adult male elephant was found on Monday with severe injuries indicating its accidental fall from a hilltop in Kemparai area of North Bargur Reserve Forest. Information about the death of the elephant was received on Sunday evening, after sunset, and hence the Forest Department waited till Monday morning for further action.
A team led by Bargur Ranger Alagesan set out to the spot in Guddayur II Beat of Thamaraikarai section of the Reserve Forest on Monday morning and reached there after a long trek. A spot-post-mortem examination revealed severe external and internal injuries. The bones in the head were found crushed due to the tusker's apparent fall from a height of 100 metres, to a sloping distance of about half a kilometre. The rough surface had caused the elephant's instant death, Mr. Alagesan said.
After removing the tusks, the team, consisting of Forester Muthusamy, Beat Guard Manickam and anti-poaching watchers, returned leaving the carcass at the spot for predators to prey on, since the elephant died in good health.
