Mettupalayam: The wild elephant that was under treatment after collapsing inside the forest here died the other day. The 8-year-old tusker was being treated since June 28 in Shirumukha forest range. With its death, the total number of elephants that died in this range within 10 days touched four.
The elephant happened to collapse in the forest near Pethikuttai beat Karuparayan Kovil. On knowing this, the forest guards gave it food, glucose, medicines and minerals till Thursday, but the tusker was unable to stand up. When the guards and veterinary doctors returned to the forest to continue treatment on Friday morning, a herd of wild elephants had surrounded the sick tusker.
Later, the forest veterinary surgeon and forest guards managed to drive the elephants away and examined the ill tusker, but its life could not be saved. Ranger Senthil Kumar said that they have initiated post-mortem after the death was confirmed. Forest veterinary doctor Dr Sukumaran said they were providing medical help for the tusker for the past one week.
A cow elephant was found dead with bullet injuries in the corn field of a private land in Mettupalayam the other day. A tusker was electrocuted near a private resort in Muthumala forest area. Another elephant cow also collapsed and died in Mettupalayam Shirumukha forest range.
