Coimbatore: District Forest Officer Venkatesh said the elephant which died in Mettupalayam died suffered a brain injury as it was shot on its head. Recently, the elephant numbers have increased in the surrounding areas of Vanabathrakaliamman Kovil and Thekkampatti next to Mettupalayam in Coimbatore District.
Coimbatore: District Forest Officer Venkatesh said the elephant which died in Mettupalayam died suffered a brain injury as it was shot on its head. Recently, the elephant numbers have increased in the surrounding areas of Vanabathrakaliamman Kovil and Thekkampatti next to Mettupalayam in Coimbatore District.
Since there is water in the Bhavani River, it is customary for elephants to leave the hills and come to the Thekkampatti area daily for water and food.
Forest officials were informed that a female elephant was found dead in a private farm near the Elephant Camp in Thekkampatti this morning. Following this, the Mettupalayam Forest Department went to the scene and investigated. The preliminary investigation was carried out in the angle whether the 20-year-old female elephant died after being shot as there wounds near its ear with blood oozing out of them.
An autopsy of the dead elephant was conducted by veterinarian Sugumar. While examining the wound in the lower part of the elephant's ear, gunshot residue was found and on further examination, a bullet was found embedded in the pachyderm's brain.
Land owners Ramaswamy and Krishnaswamy have been arrested in connection with the massacre.
Animal welfare activists have urged the Forest Department to investigate and arrest the owners of the lands who use illegal guns on elephants that inflict damage on the paddy fields near Mettupalayam and Sirumugai areas.
Since there is water in the Bhavani River, it is customary for elephants to leave the hills and come to the Thekkampatti area daily for water and food.
Forest officials were informed that a female elephant was found dead in a private farm near the Elephant Camp in Thekkampatti this morning. Following this, the Mettupalayam Forest Department went to the scene and investigated. The preliminary investigation was carried out in the angle whether the 20-year-old female elephant died after being shot as there wounds near its ear with blood oozing out of them.
An autopsy of the dead elephant was conducted by veterinarian Sugumar. While examining the wound in the lower part of the elephant's ear, gunshot residue was found and on further examination, a bullet was found embedded in the pachyderm's brain.
Land owners Ramaswamy and Krishnaswamy have been arrested in connection with the massacre.
Animal welfare activists have urged the Forest Department to investigate and arrest the owners of the lands who use illegal guns on elephants that inflict damage on the paddy fields near Mettupalayam and Sirumugai areas.