Three wild jumbos die within 24 hrs in Nilgiris

Ooty: Three wild elephants - two in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) and one in the adjacent jungles in Cherampadi, have died within 24 hours. The Greens plead for better drought management to ensure the good health of wild elephants.

While an about 22-year-old female elephant was found dead in the Theppakadu range in MTR on Sunday evening, on Monday morning a one-year-old female calf was found dead in the Kargudi range in MTR.  

Around the same time, another 25 -year-old female elephant, which was found battling for life due to some ailment on Sunday inside the woods at Cherampadi, adjacent to MTR, also died on Monday morning.

Forest veterinary sources said, “While the calf that was found dead in MTR died due to a possible carnivore attack, the adult female found dead on Sunday evening at MTR died due to gastro-intestinal ailments.”

Meanwhile, Mr B.K. Kumaran, president of the Nilgiris Ecology and Animals Protection Samithi, wanted a through introspection on jungle health as the drought may have resulted in sudden proliferation of diseases, causing micro organisms, creating havoc with the oral and gastro-intestinal health of elephants.
“Sample analysis of water and soil in different transect lines needs to be done,” he urged.