Wild elephant found dead in Madhukarai

COIMBATORE: A wild elephant that was found dead in the jungles of Madhukarai on Friday is suspected to be the pachyderm that frequently visited residential areas in the last few days here.

According to M. Senthil Kumar, Madhukarai forest range officer, on receiving information from anti-poaching (AP) watchers, a team led by conservator S. Ramasubramaniyam visited the spot and found a wild tusker laying dead in Modamasi beat near Navakarai in Madukarai range.

A 15-year-old male elephant had entered Press Enclave on Sunday last triggering panic among the residents.

 Later, the same elephant entered a residential neighborhood near Theethipalayam on Tuesday night and trampled upon few heads of cattle. Using Kumki elephant the wild tusker was driven into forest.

‘’It has suffered from severe inflammation and was eventually starved to death; the animal has gone weak and lost considerable amount of weight,” the FRO said, adding, a lot of worms were seen inside the elephant’s intestine during the autopsy done by the forest veterinary doctor, N.S. Manoharan.

“This is the elephant which was frequently visiting residential areas including Kovaipudur and Theethipalayam few days ago’’ added the FRO.