Injured male elephant dies in Kerala Fight with other tuskers suspected

Malappuram, June 8 (PTI) A male elephant, seriously
injured in a suspected fight with other tuskers, died in
Kerala on Monday without responding to treatment by the Forest
department veterinarians, officials said.
The elephant with injuries and appearing weak was spotted
in a plantation at Arthalakunnu near here early last week and
treatment started after being tranquilised.
"There was slight progress in its health... However, our
efforts to save its life could not succeed", Mannarkad (South)
Divisional Forest Officer Sajikumar said.
He said the injuries were not man made but due to fighting
with another tusker.
"Makhana (tuskless male elephant) must have sustained
injuries during fight with other tuskers. It had injuries on
its pennis, tongue and abdomen. The Forest veterinarians
suggested that the injuries are out of a fight," the official
said.
The treatment was under the supervision of the Chief
Veterinary Surgeon Arun Sakaria and veterinarian Mithun.
A team of doctors from the Veterinary University will
conduct a post mortem, which would confirm the exact cause of
death, the DFO added.
The incident comes days after a 15-year-old pregnant
elephant died after it consumed a fruit stuffed with
firecrackers that burst in its mouth in the Silent Valley
forest area in neighbouring Palakkad district and it died in
Velliyar River a week later on May 27.
In another incident involving the jumbos, two elephants
created a flutter as they strayed into in resort town of
Munnar in hilly Idukki district and ran through a market area,
destroying at least five shops on Sunday.
Amid a protest led by local ruling LDF MLA S Rajendran
over the incident, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests
(Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife WardenSurendrakumar said the
elephants started coming out from forests and enter towns as
traffic and movement of people dwindled due to COVID-19
lockdown.
"We haveasked the Forest department to take necessary
steps to safeguard the life and property of the locals here,"
he added.
The MLA alleged the Forest personnel refused to take
anyaction despite pleas for safeguarding the life and
property of locals from such wild animals. PTI CORR RRT
VS VS

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)