‘Seven out of 14 elephants that died in Pethikuttai had liver disease’

Liver disease and presence of organophosphorus compounds were detected in elephants that died in Pethikuttai reserve forest of Sirumugai forest range in Coimbatore Forest Division in the past.

With 14 out of 43 elephant deaths in Coimbatore Forest Division from 2020 till March 31 this year reported in its limits, Pethikuttai reserve forest has been named as a ‘mortality hotspot’ for elephants.

An analysis of post-mortem and forensic reports of elephants by Forest Veterinary Officer (Coimbatore) A. Sukumar found that seven out of the 14 elephants that died in Pethikuttai had liver disease. Out of the seven elephants detected with liver disease, all reported in 2020, samples of internal organs of two tested positive for organophosphorus compounds – a possible hint at poisoning through pesticides. The samples were tested at the Regional Forensic Science Laboratory (RFSL), Coimbatore.

“Post-mortem examination records showed that the area from the stomach to rectum of the two elephants, samples of which tested positive for organophosphorus compounds, was empty. It shows that they did not die of direct poisoning,” said Dr. Sukumar, who submitted a base report to the four-member committee headed by Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests I. Anwardeen which was recently tasked to verify facts of elephant deaths in Tamil Nadu for the past one year, especially younger ones.

According to the report, organophosphorus poisoning reports from RFSL, Coimbatore, did not reveal the quantity of poison which is essential to determine the lethality. In the absence of the rate of lethal dose of poisoning in the samples, organophosphorus compounds poisoning as the direct cause of death could not be established.

Dr. Sukumar opined that the samples tested positive for organophosphorus compounds possibly due to the feeding of pesticide applied crops by elephants with crop raiding habit.

He opined that biological samples collected during autopsy of elephants shall be sent to a laboratory which does qualitative and quantitative analysis for poisoning with wide ranges of pesticides and chemical poisoning and recommended an advanced laboratory at the Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON), Anaikatti, for the same.