Pregnant wild elephant dies in Tamil Nadu, autopsy reveals plastic ingestion
A wild female elephant undergoing veterinary care in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore district, died despite undergoing treatment for three days. The elephant, believed to have strayed from its herd in search of water, was found collapsed by locals along with her calf lingering by her side in the Marudamalai area, a prominent elephant corridor in the region. The locals alerted the forest officials, who also then initiated rescue and treatment efforts. Two Kumki elephants – trained for handling wild elephants – were brought in to manage the situation and ensure the safety of the veterinary team. A crane was also employed to assist in lifting the animal during treatment. advertisementHowever, the calf fled into the nearby forest following the appearance of the Kumki elephants.
The female elephant died on Tuesday afternoon in spite of sustained efforts by the veterinary team. An autopsy conducted the following day revealed a fully developed foetus, indicating that the elephant was pregnant at the time of death. However, even more alarming was the amount of plastic found in the elephant's digestive tract during the autopsy, suggesting prolonged ingestion of the non-biodegradable material. The calf, too, remained missing and forest officials were still on the lookout for it.Written by Rahen Philip
IN THIS STORY#Tamil Nadu
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Pregnant wild elephant dies in Tamil Nadu, autopsy reveals plastic ingestion
A wild female elephant undergoing veterinary care in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore district, died despite undergoing treatment for three days. The elephant, believed to have strayed from its herd in search of water, was found collapsed by locals along with her calf lingering by her side in the Marudamalai area, a prominent elephant corridor in the region. The locals alerted the forest officials, who also then initiated rescue and treatment efforts. Two Kumki elephants – trained for handling wild elephants – were brought in to manage the situation and ensure the safety of the veterinary team. A crane was also employed to assist in lifting the animal during treatment. advertisementHowever, the calf fled into the nearby forest following the appearance of the Kumki elephants. The female elephant died on Tuesday afternoon in spite of sustained efforts by the veterinary team. An autopsy conducted the following day revealed a fully developed foetus, indicating that the elephant was pregnant at the time of death. However, even more alarming was the amount of plastic found in the elephant's digestive tract during the autopsy, suggesting prolonged ingestion of the non-biodegradable material. The calf, too, remained missing and forest officials were still on the lookout for by Rahen Philip IN THIS STORY#Tamil Nadu
