Including this, at least four elephants have died in the last few days in different parts of this region.

Frontline workers of the forest department, who were on patrol, noticed the carcass of a 26-year-old elephant and informed the officials. A team led by A Sugumar, forest veterinarian, performed an autopsy on the animal in the presence of senior forest department officials and representatives from wildlife NGOs.

It is suspected that the animal died of liver infection. “There were no external injuries suggesting that the animal was in any tussle. The elephant’s liver was infected and the animal was starved to death,” said an official.

The official added that eight wild elephants have died due to natural causes in the Sirumugai forest range alone, so far this year. There are six forest ranges in the Coimbatore forest division.

Three other elephants were found dead, all due to natural reasons since Monday. A female calf aged around three years was found dead inside the reserve forest at Kembanur in Coimbatore on Monday. It died after falling from a height.

The next day, a 45-year-old tusker was found dead in a decomposed state in a territorial fight in the Valparai forest range in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve. Another female calf was found dead in a suspected tiger attack in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) area.