COIMBATORE: A male elephant calf, aged three to five months, died due to intestinal worms at High Forest Estate near Valparai on Friday.
Sources in the Forest Department said that they were informed about the jumbo calf's poor health condition by the locals on Friday afternoon. "The locals said that the animal found it difficult to walk and looked tired of roaming in field number 14 of the High Forest Estate," sources said.
On information, a team of officials led by Manampalli Range officer A Manikandan visited the spot and alerted veterinarian Meyyarasan, who examined the animal and provided treatment. Sources said that the forest staff faced issues in treating the calf initially as the mother elephant kept standing nearby.
"The jumbo calf was given two bottles of pain killers and minerals to revive its health condition. However, he died within two and a half hours after the commencement of treatment. On Saturday morning, a postmortem examination was carried out on the animal's body," said Manikandan, adding, "We suspect that the jumbo calf consumed soil while grazing with his mother, which eventually upset his stomach. He might have roamed restlessly in pain for over a week with an empty stomach."
The carcass was buried in the same area as leaving it for other animals would facilitate the spreading of the infection, sources added.