Kalpetta: One more elephant was found dead at Appappara in the Thirunelli Range of the North Wayanad forest division on Thursday in a suspected case of electrocution. This is the third elephant death reported from Wayanad within two months. One female elephant was killed by shooters near the office of Wayanad wildlife warden in the wildlife sanctuary in June. Another female elephant was killed at Chethalayam near Pulpally.
The carcass of a 15-year-old tusker was found near the forest border close to a private land by locals in the morning. Isolated from the herd, the animal has been roaming in the area for the last few weeks, said North Wayanad DFO Narendranath Veloori. “We suspect that the animal might have touched the electric line while grabbing the branches of a nearby tree,” he told DC. “All the symptoms indicates to electrocution.” Forest veterinary surgeon Dr V.I. Jijimon conducted the postmortem, and the body was set aflame after completing procedures.
