MADIKERI (KARNATAKA): Forest department officials of Somwarpet helped a wounded wild elephant on Wednesday evening by treating its wound in a four-hour long mission.
The forest department employees, during a routine checking, observed a wound on the hind limb of a wild elephant at Banavara Reserve Forest in Kodagu district, while the latter was drinking water. The officials observed that the wound was bleeding and had swollen up. The employees then reported the incident to higher officials, who took a decision to provide first-aid treatment to the wounded elephant.
Following orders from Kodagu district forest officials, the Sowmarpet forest department officers treated the elephant alongside help from tamed elephants. With the help from Nagarhole Rapid Task Force, over 25 forest workers and tamed elephants from Nagarahole, Matthigodu Camp’s elephants Abhimanyu and Krishna and Dubare Camp’s elephant Vikaram, the forest officials tracked down the wounded wild elephants. Once spotted, the elephant was sedated.
However, the sedated elephant roamed around the forest limits, even crossed the elephant trench and had to be tracked for over two hours even as the elephant tried attacking the forest officials. The elephant was then surrounded by tamed elephants and once unconscious, Nagarahole Camp’s veterinary doctors Dr Mujheeb and Dr Ranjan treated its wound.
“The wounded elephant was successfully treated after a four-hour long mission. The elephant is said to be around 30 years old. After treatment, it has been left in the forest limits. We will keenly observe the elephant and further treatment would be provided if required,” confirmed Chinnappa, ACF. Meanwhile, the curious crowd of villagers had to be controlled during the mission by Somwarpet police.
Elephant killed by gunshot
A wild elephant was found shot dead at Palangala village in Virajpet taluk on Thursday. While the officials confirmed that the elephant was killed on Wednesday, the incident came into light on Thursday morning when the carcass of the elephant was found in a private land at Palangala village.
“The elephant is a seven or eight-year-old male tusker and it appears to have been shot dead on Wednesday morning. Gunshot was visible on one of the sides of its body and it has pierced through its lungs,” revealed Maria Christu Raja, Virajpet DCF.
He confirmed that a complaint has been raised regarding the incident and a case has been booked at the local court. Post mortem of the elephant was conducted by Nagarhole camp veterinary doctor Dr Mujheeb and report confirmed that the elephant might have been shot by a single barrel gun.
The carcass of the elephant was buried at the same spot in Palangala.
Sources confirmed that the bullet used to kill the elephant was a modified bullet that would easily harm a large animal.
Reliable sources also confirmed that the elephant was shot using a gun which was exempted under the Arms Act. However, since the culprit has not been caught red handed, the case needs a thorough investigation.
Once the accused is identified, the gun would be seized and sent for forensic report. Killing an elephant is a serious crime and can lead to seven years imprisonment.