ERODE: Forest officials are fighting to save the life of a female elephant found sick at the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve a few days ago. Two teams of veterinarians have been treating the elephant for more than a week.
The 30-year-old female elephant was found lying unwell in a field in Mudiyanur under the Talavady range in STR on the morning of February 20 after it came out of the forest.
Subsequently, a team of veterinarians from STR began treating the elephant. However, despite being treated for the past eight days, the elephant has not fully recovered and one more team has joined to help it regain health.
Speaking to TNIE, Yogesh Kumar Garg, Deputy Director of STR (Hasanur Forest Division), said, "Two teams of veterinarians are involved in the treatment. We are providing the elephant infrared therapy, hot water fomentation, fluid and rectal therapy and bio-boosters. The elephant's condition seems to be improving."
In addition, the forest department also feeds the elephant with crops including banana saplings, maize and sugarcane."We occasionally try to get the elephant up and walking by tying belts around its body and using a crane. However, these efforts have been in vain for a week," said another official.
Meanwhile, the forest officials are trying to capture one of the two leopards that had been terrorising the residents of Marayipalayam village for more than three months. The other big cat was caught and released it in the Thengumarahada forest earlier this month.
Marayipalayam is under the Vilamundi forest range in STR.
"We have placed cages in three spots and installed cameras in five spots to capture the other leopard. We are continuing to monitor its movements," a senior official of the Vilamundi range said.