The Forest Department on Monday autopsied the carcass of a wild elephant which was found dead in a reserve forest area near Thadagam.
Officials said that the animal died of injuries it sustained after falling from a height.
It was on Sunday evening, the Forest Department staff traced the carcass of the male elephant, aged around five, in a decomposing state at Thadagam south reserve forest area.
The carcass, which was at least two days old, was found around 3 km away from the Sembukkarai tribal settlement.
Forest Department officials said that the elephant was found dead in a slope in the forest and the animal had a fatal fall resulting to severe injury in the chest cavity.
“The animal had fallen from a height of 15 feet. A herd of elephants were roaming in the area for the last three days. The carcass was left in the wild for scavengers after taking the tusks,” said District Forest Officer D. Venkatesh.
Meanwhile, rumours were rife that the animal was killed due to injuries caused by avittukkai, a country-made crude explosive, which were kept by poachers to hunt wild boars. The Forest Department has denied the rumours.