The critically injured female wild elephant was undergoing treatment at the Varagaliyar elephant camp near Topslip and succumbed to its injuries on March 19.
Coimbatore: According to the autopsy report ingesting explosive material was responsible for the death of a 15 year old female elephant which succumbed to its injuries in the mouth while being treated by the Tamil Nadu Forest department at Anamalai Tiger Reserve.
The critically injured female wild elephant was undergoing treatment at the Varagaliyar elephant camp near Topslip and succumbed to its injuries the day before yesterday.
A 15-year-old female wild elephant was brought to the Vargaliyar camp near Topslip on the night of May 17 after it was found to be sick with severe injuries in the mouth and jaw.
The elephant was unable to forage and eat and it was found roaming near the Adimathayanur area of Karamadai forest range near Mettupalayam in a weak condition.
Ramasubramaniyam, Field Director of Anamalai Tiger Reserve, came to know that the elephant was in great pain as it could not forage for food.
He had planned to transport the elephant to extend treatment to it.
The elephant was given intensive treatment by veterinarians for days and glucose and medicines were administered to it after it was confined to a “kraal”.
According to the autopsy report the female elephant might have accidentally consumed explosives and thereby injured its tongue, jaw and teeth.
“A case has also been registered in this respect, by the Karamadai forest range officers and a proper inquiry will be conducted into the accident” said Ramasubramaniam.