Kerala: Residents blame negligence for eight-year-old jumbo's death

KOLLAM: A wild elephant that died after biting an explosive in April could have been saved if it was provided timely medical care, residents of Mahadevarmon said on Thursday.
The grievously injured eight-year-old cow elephant was sighted near Mahadevarmon area near Chempanaruvi under the Pathanapuram forest range on April 9.
The local veterinarian reported it to the chief veterinary officer under the chief wildlife warden the next day. Chief veterinary officer Dr Easwaran visited Pathanapuram on April 11, and found it in a critical state.
"The elephant's condition had turned critical by the time I reached. It couldn't eat as there was extensive damage on the soft tissue in the throat and fracture in the left mandible," he said.
Dr Easwaran, who supervised the post-mortem, said the injury proved fatal to the elephant.
Alleging complacency on the part of the forest department, locals said the veterinary department was alerted only after the elephant's condition had turned critical.
Requesting anonymity, officials of the animal husbandry department said the animal could have been rescued if it was treated in time. They alleged that a doctor was brought in only after three days.
When tried to contact, the Punalur Division Forest officer and Pathanapuram Range officer were not available for comments.
A forest department official, however, said they could not confirm whether the explosive had been placed in a fruit or the elephant bit it while it was lying unattended.
"The elephant had a deep wound inside its throat. The fatal injury might have been caused when cracker exploded inside its mouth," he said, requesting anonymity.
Residents said despite the minister for forests, K Raju, representing the Punalur assembly segment, those responsible for the elephant's death were not traced.