NILGIRIS: A male elephant, estimated to be around 45 years old, was found dead in a forest area adjacent to a watchtower within the Kallatti Hill Slope Reserve Forest.

The location falls under the Bokkapuram section of the Singara forest range, within the Masinagudi forest division of the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in the Nilgiris district. Forest Department officials said that, as the discovery was made late on Sunday evening, steps to conduct a post-mortem examination in accordance with standard operating procedure guidelines would be initiated on Monday afternoon.

They added that the exact cause of the elephant's death would be ascertained following the post-mortem.