COIMBATORE: A 22-year-old male wild elephant was found dead in a highly decomposed condition in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) in the Nilgiris on Monday. A Forest department team found the carcass in Masinagudi division during a routine patrol. A team under R Vidhyadhar, Deputy Director (Buffer Zone), MTR, conducted an inspection and a post-mortem examination was conducted by veterinarian K Rajesh Kumar in accordance with the prescribed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).

"As the elephant's internal organs had completely decomposed, it was difficult to establish the cause of death. Samples of the organs were collected and sent to a laboratory for further examination," a forest official said. The cause of death is expected to be known only after the laboratory test results are received. The latest death comes close on the heels of two female elephants being found dead last week in the Masinagudi and Singara forest ranges of the MTR, raising concerns over the consecutive elephant deaths in the reserve.