MADURAI: A wild elephant was found dead at Injikadu under the limits of Azhagiapandiapuram range in Kanniyakumari district on Friday evening, sources said on Saturday.

On being alerted, the forest personnel led by District Forest Officer M Ilayaraja inspected the spot and conducted inquiries at the place where the carcass of an adult female elephant was found.

The District Forest Officer said the deceased elephant could be aged about 40 to 45 years. The wild animal was found dead in the fringes of the forest in a clove estate.

The ill-fated elephant could have slipped on a slope of a water stream and got killed, as per forest officials. As per norms, a team of veterinary doctors conducted a post mortem on Saturday.