COIMBATORE: In two separate incidents, a female elephant and a female elephant calf were found dead in forests near Coimbatore on Wednesday.
In another incident, a female elephant aged 8-10 years was found dead in the Coimbatore forest range on Wednesday, with a postmortem examination indicating intestinal blockage as the cause of death. Forest officials found the elephant lying dead around in the Thadagam North, about 2 km from Melmudi area under the Thudiyalur section. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Coimbatore | Silver Rate in Coimbatore | Bank Holidays in Coimbatore | Public Holidays in Coimbatore | Coimbatore AQI | Weather in Coimbatore | Petrol Price in Coimbatore | Diesel Price in Coimbatore | CNG Price in Coimbatore | LPG Price in Coimbatore Stay updated with the latest Coimbatore news.
Forest department officials said an elephant calf that was part of a herd that entered Tamil Nadu from Kerala was found dead in the Madukkarai forest range. They suspect that a carnivore killed the calf. Organ and blood samples were collected for further examination. Download the TOI App.
The forest department said three female elephants and the calf were first spotted in the Puthuppathi area under the Navakkarai section of the Madukkarai range in the Coimbatore forest division on Sept 18.
The postmortem found deep puncture wounds on multiple parts of the body, and officials said the injuries and preliminary findings indicated a suspected attack by a carnivore. Forest department personnel observed the calf struggling to walk, especially with one hind leg, and began closely monitoring it on the district forest officer’s directions. A postmortem was conducted in the presence of the assistant conservator of forests, range officers, veterinary doctors and representatives from NGOs.
On Wednesday morning, a team led by the Madukkarai forest range officer Arun found the calf unresponsive, approached it and confirmed it dead.
From Sept 18 to 22, forest personnel tracked the herd during the day, while drones were used for nighttime surveillance. Because the herd prevented the team from getting close, officials said they were unable to approach the calf to assess its condition. During drone surveillance on Tuesday night, the calf was seen remaining in the same spot, and no other elephants were visible nearby.