A female wild elephant was found dead at Chirakanahalli village, Bandipur Tiger Reserve area, in Gundlupet taluk of Chamarajanagar district on Saturday.
The jumbo is said to be around 65 years old and reportedly died of natural causes, according to Forest department personnel.
The wild elephant had strayed out of the BRT Tiger Reserve Forest area and was found roaming at Kundukere range in Bandipur forest on June 15.
Learning about the pachyderm’s movement, the Forest department took steps to chase the jumbo into the forest on Friday morning.
But the jumbo entered a farm belonging to Potharaju and camped there. The department’s night operation also failed to drive it into the forest.
According to a press release from the Forest department, the female elephant was found dead on Saturday afternoon.
The post mortem was conducted and its viscera sent to the laboratory for testing. Future course of action will be taken after the arrival of the reports.
Gundlupet Sub-division Assistant Conservator of Forests G Ravindra, Kundukere Range Forest Officer D Srinivas, Veterinarian Dr Mirza Wasim and others were present.