COIMBATORE: An ailing male sloth bear that was rescued by forest department officials in Coimbatore district on Friday evening died on Saturday morning.
The bear was spotted on an agriculture land near the reserve forest at Karunyanagar. Madukkarai forest range frontline staff found the sloth bear and immediately alerted D Venkatesh, district forest officer, Coimbatore forest division.
Venkatesh directed the forest department veterinary doctor Sukumar to rush to the spot. The veterinarian checked the sloth bear and informed that the bear lost most of the incisors and canines and the animal was weak due to old age.
Since the bear was also not able to move, the forest department rescued and caged the animal.
It was later shifted to Chadivayal elephant camp where veterinarians cleaned the wounds, administered vitamins, antibiotics, glucose and other drugs to the animal. However, the sloth bear died without responding to the treatment at 1.30am on Saturday.
An autopsy was performed. The carcass was buried inside the reserve forest.