KOCHI: The forest department has issued an alert after a female wild elephant aged around 15 years died of anthrax in the reserve forest of Anaikatti in Coimbatore near Kerala border.
“We have issued a directive to step up surveillance in Silent Valley and Mannarkad areas. No elephant death due to anthrax has been reported in Kerala forest in the recent past. There is no need for panic as around 85% of adult elephants recover from the infection. We are monitoring the herds in the area,” said Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) Northern region K Vijayananthan. Recently two elephant calves at Kottoor elephant camp had died of anthrax.