COIMBATORE: The serial death of four wild elephants in Coimbatore forest division in last two months had left environmentalists much worried, while activists suspects foul play by brick chamber owners of Thadagam valley.
A female elephant aged about 25-years-old was found lying on the ground in a debilitated state in private land in Mangarai beat close to reserve forest area in Thadagam recently. Forest patrol staffs on Friday alerted the ranger.
The herd and a male calf accompanied by the elephant were chased away by the Forest department to provide medical assistance for the sick elephant. Despite providing adequate medicines by veterinary doctor the elephant did not respond to the treatment and died in the evening. The autopsy done on Saturday revealed internal hemorrhage and unusually high parasite load in intestines.
The death of three female elephants within a span of a month in the Thadagam valley under the jurisdiction of Periyanakanpalayam Range has caused some apprehension among conservationists.
The female elephant that was found feeble in the outskirts of 24-Veerpandi village last month died despite efforts made by the Forest department to treat and nourish it. During the autopsy, it was found that both the intestines of the elephants had severe ulcers and also had abnormal coloration in kidneys and liver. Autopsy performed on another female elephant that died few days ago in Annaikatty revealed that it succumbed to head injuries from unknown causes.
The cause of death of these elephants raised several questions among the conservation fraternity. People in the region suspect foul play and many blame the illegal sand quarry operators in the Thadagam and Annaikati regions for the repeated death of elephants. Some say that frequent movement of elephants outside the forest region in Thadagam valley hamper the illegal sand mining activity that happen in night.
Often heavy machinery such as JCB Poclain is used to drive these elephants away from the quarrying sites and in the processes they injure the elephants. Few local activists from the same area say that the mixing toxic substances that contain nitrogen and potassium in known watering points abutting forest fringe that are frequented by elephants, might be the cause for slow death of elephants.
A veterinary doctor from Animal Husbandry department told the DC, that he was asked not to submit a very detail autopsy report after he performed a postmortem in Coimbatore forest division few months ago.
These Veterinarians who have limited exposure in wildlife cases often may not be able to deduce the cause of death accurately. Wildlife conservationists in this region demand a permanent Forest Veterinary Officer and a wildlife Veterinary unit for this region to handle critical cases. Green activists also urge sting operations by the police to crack down on the illegal sand quarry operations.
