COIMBATORE: A three-year-old female elephant died apparently after choking on a palmyra fruit, at Thekkampatti ‘Odai Pallam’ in the Kandiyur Forest Range near Mettupalayam.
The Forest Department frontline staff on routine patrol noticed the ailing elephant calf at Thekkampatti Odai Pallam on Monday. They immediately alerted senior officials, following which a team led by Mettupalayam Forest Range Officer SM Sasikumar and Forest Veterinary Officer S Vennila reached the spot and began treatment.
“The elephant was administered medicines and glucose in an attempt to revive it. However, it failed to respond to treatment and its condition deteriorated. Despite prolonged efforts, the elephant died later that night,” a Forest Department official said.
As it was already late, the post-mortem examination was conducted only on Tuesday. Preliminary findings indicated that the elephant had apparently swallowed a palmyra fruit without properly chewing it.
“The whole fruit appears to have become lodged between the respiratory tract and the food passage, causing severe breathing difficulty. The findings suggest that the elephant choked on the fruit, resulting in its sudden death,” the official said.
Forest officials said a detailed post-mortem report would help establish the exact cause of the elephant’s death. It comes close on the heels of three wild elephants losing their lives this month in the Masinagudi Forest Division in the Nilgiris.