Rescued elephant dies during translocation from Kerala to Bandipur forest

Mysuru: A Bandipur-based 25-year-old male elephant, rescued in an operation by forest officials of Wayanad Reserve Forest in Kerala in Manandawadi, died while being shifted to Ramapura camp of Bandipur Tiger Reserve on Friday night, according to Bandipur Tiger Reserve (BTR) Conservator of Forest, P Ramesh Kumar.

Forest officials of Wayanad took up the operation to rescue the elephant as it had moved from Moolehole range of BTR to Wayanad Reserve Forest, entered Manandavadi, and created anxiety among people there on Friday.

BTR CF P Ramesh Kumar informed, "The officials of Wayanad had tranquilized it thrice around 6 pm, 8 pm, and 10 pm on Friday. It died on the way while being shifted in a lorry to Ramapura camp of BTR. It collapsed when the back door of the lorry was opened and was discovered when the lorry reached Ramapura around 1.45 am on Friday night," he said.

"Veterinarians of Wayanad and BTR did a joint post-mortem as per the protocol. They found it had died due to a heart attack caused by shock and trauma. Blood clots were found in its heart," Ramesh Kumar added.

This elephant was initially rescued at Heddaravalli of Belur taluk in Hassan district in January and was left in Moolehole range of BTR after fitting a radio collar to it.