COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore forest department has initiated efforts to treat Bahubali, a wild elephant that sustained an injury following a confrontation with another elephant.
Identified by the forest department as MP 20TI, Bahubali frequently moves through the forest fringes in Mettupalayam and Sirumugai areas.
A few days ago, the elephant ventured out of the forest at around 2 a.m., prompting a team of frontline forest staff from the Sirumugai Forest Range to rush to the spot and take measures to drive it back into the forest.
During the operation, the forest staff noticed an injury near the rear body portion of the elephant.
The matter was immediately brought to the attention of senior forest officials, following which surveillance was intensified to track the animal and assess its condition.
As Bahubali generally does not venture out during the daytime, forest personnel continued their search and later detected the elephant at night in the Vachinampalayam area.
A team of forest department officials, including forest veterinarian Dr. Vijayaraghavan, examined the injury.
It was suspected that the wound could have been sustained during a confrontation with another wild elephant, possibly after the animal was pierced by the other elephant’s tusk.
“As direct medication is not feasible, we mixed the medicines with ragi cake and placed them on banana leaves along the elephant’s path on Wednesday night. Bahubali has consumed the medicated food,” a forest department official said.
The elephant is being monitored round the clock by forest personnel, while the veterinary team is continuing efforts to provide further medical treatment.