Coimbatore: Forest department is treating an elephant near Mettupalayam that has an unhealed injury for over 7 months.
Coimbatore: Forest department is treating an elephant near Mettupalayam that has an unhealed injury for over 7 months.
A 20-year-old male elephant was spotted with swollen left foreleg and difficulty walking by the forest workers at the Sundampatti Beat Nellithurai Reserve Forest within the limits of Mettupalayam Forest Range in mid-March this year.
A veterinarian went into the dense forest on March 24 and examined the wound on the elephant's leg from a distance. As per the doctor's recommendation, powdered medicine pills were placed inside fruits and kept in the path of the elephant in the forest. Surveillance cameras were installed and the elephant's movements were monitored.
The elephant, which was roaming in the dense forest for the past few days, came to the Coonoor Riverbank just outside the forest on the afternoon of September 5 where it was trapped in mud. Upon information Dr. Sukumar, the veterinarian, observed the elephant and helped raise it from the mud and sent it into the forest.
The elephant was found to have mild swelling in the lower left leg that was bent in shape. It was decided to continue treatment. Following this, District Forest Officer Venkatesh, Coimbatore retired Additional Director of Animal Husbandry Manohar and Assistant Forest Officer Dinesh Kumar inspected the areas of elephant's movement at Nellithurai on the 9th. Veterinarians have recommended that the elephant should be continued to be medicated to determine the nature of the disease.
A special team of five headed by Chief Veterinary Surgeon, D Sukumar has been set under the directions of the Chief Wildlife Conservator to capture the elephant and treat it. Two Kumki elephants have been brought from Pollachi Topslip and Sadivayal area to help capture the injured elephant.
A 20-year-old male elephant was spotted with swollen left foreleg and difficulty walking by the forest workers at the Sundampatti Beat Nellithurai Reserve Forest within the limits of Mettupalayam Forest Range in mid-March this year.
A veterinarian went into the dense forest on March 24 and examined the wound on the elephant's leg from a distance. As per the doctor's recommendation, powdered medicine pills were placed inside fruits and kept in the path of the elephant in the forest. Surveillance cameras were installed and the elephant's movements were monitored.
The elephant, which was roaming in the dense forest for the past few days, came to the Coonoor Riverbank just outside the forest on the afternoon of September 5 where it was trapped in mud. Upon information Dr. Sukumar, the veterinarian, observed the elephant and helped raise it from the mud and sent it into the forest.
The elephant was found to have mild swelling in the lower left leg that was bent in shape. It was decided to continue treatment. Following this, District Forest Officer Venkatesh, Coimbatore retired Additional Director of Animal Husbandry Manohar and Assistant Forest Officer Dinesh Kumar inspected the areas of elephant's movement at Nellithurai on the 9th. Veterinarians have recommended that the elephant should be continued to be medicated to determine the nature of the disease.
A special team of five headed by Chief Veterinary Surgeon, D Sukumar has been set under the directions of the Chief Wildlife Conservator to capture the elephant and treat it. Two Kumki elephants have been brought from Pollachi Topslip and Sadivayal area to help capture the injured elephant.