COIMBATORE/NILGIRIS: An eight-year-old female elephant that had been treated after an iron wire became entangled around its left forelimb died of septicemia, a postmortem examination has revealed.
According to forest department officials, the infection in the elephant's injured left forelimb spread to other parts of its body, leading to multi-organ failure.
"Due to septicemia, the animal became weak and was unable to recover despite our efforts. We tranquilised the elephant, removed the iron wire and provided treatment on September 6. We continued to monitor it and administered medicines by mixing them with fruits. We also provided ORS and glucose water. However, the animal went out of our radar on September 13 and was later found dead near some bushes at Thamaraipali," a forest department official said.
Veterinarians S Vennila and K Vijayaragavan conducted the postmortem at Thamaraipali, in Sirumugai Forest Range, in the presence of DFO N Vengatesh Prabhu, Sirumugai Forest Range Officer P Dinesh and members of an NGO.
It was buried to prevent the infection from spreading to vultures and other scavengers.
Leopard enters man-eater’s cage
Meanwhile, a leopard entered a cage placed at Halala Estate to capture a man-eater tiger in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) on Wednesday morning. The leopard was subsequently released into the forest. So far, two leopards have been caught in such cages and were released.