Ailing female elephant dies in Coimbatore

A female elephant, which collapsed due to illness on a private land in Periya Thadagam village in Coimbatore district on Sunday morning, died on Monday without responding to the treatment administered

A female elephant, which collapsed due to illness on a private land in Periya Thadagam village in Coimbatore district on Sunday morning, died on Monday without responding to the treatment administered by the Forest Department.

T.K. Ashok Kumar, District Forest Officer of Coimbatore Forest Division, said the elephant was declared dead around 6 p.m. on Monday after over 30 hours of treatment. Estimated to be over 45 years old, the elephant likely died of “age-related ailments,” he said.

“We conducted a blood test in the morning and its haemoglobin and blood sugar levels were found to be normal,” Mr. Kumar said. However, the elephant refused to consume water, fruits or other food items. Veterinary Assistant Surgeon of Mudumalai Tiger Reserve K. Rajesh Kumar and a team of veterinarians administered intravenous fluids, antibodies, vitamins and other drugs to revive the elephant. “Despite intensive treatment by the veterinarians for two days, the elephant died,” the DFO said.