Makhna dies of organ failure weeks after fight with tuskers in TN

“Alerted by Kerala forest staff, we began tracing the animal using a drone and managed to trace it after two days.

The carcass of the makhna elephant that was taken care of by Kerala and TN forest departments’ staff (Photo | Express)

COIMBATORE: After a 25-year-old ailing makhna elephant died on Tuesday, a postmortem revealed that the animal died due of multiple organ failure due to septicemia at Gobanari forest, near the TN-Kerala border, under Periyanaickenpalayam forest range.

According to forest department sources, the animal with several injuries on its entire body was found roaming near Attappadi in Kerala, and entered TN on September 30.

“Alerted by Kerala forest staff, we began tracing the animal using a drone and managed to trace it after two days. We started treatment, lacing medicines in fruits. The animal recovered quickly and the swelling reduced,” said a forest department official.

However, the animal died without responding to treatment around 7 pm on Monday. Veterinary officer S Vennila and veterinary assistant surgeon Sathish carried out the postmortem in the presence of DFO N Jayaraj on Tuesday.

“We found multiple tusk injuries caused due to in fighting that may have occurred three weeks ago at Narasingpuram near Attapadi. The makhna had a fight with two other elephants that resulted in injuries and organ failure. It died due to septicemia,” the official added.