Madikeri: A female wild elephant died under suspicious circumstances in the middle of a coffee plantation in Kaurikadu Estate near Anandpur in Virajpet taluk of Kodagu district. The sight of Mariana standing and screaming next to her deceased mother elephant is heartbreaking.
A female elephant, aged around 30, died under suspicious circumstances in a private estate in the village. The villagers got emotional after seeing the scene of the baby elephant’s wailing.
Late on Saturday night, the villagers heard the baby elephant’s cries. When they went to see it, they found the dead body of the female elephant near the coffee crops. The forest department was immediately informed and officials visited the spot on Sunday morning.
When the department officials, including Virajpet Zone Forest Officer Shivaram and others, tried to go near the dead body of the elephant, the baby elephant stopped them. Despite several attempts, the baby elephant refused to move away from its mother. Following this, the department staff captured the baby using a net and tied it up.
Dr. Mujeeb and Dr. Naveen Kumar conducted a post-mortem examination of the elephant. Virajpet Deputy Conservator of Forests Kirubananthan T confirmed that the wild elephant was around 30 years old.
According to the veterinarian, the elephant suffered a spinal injury and was said to be bleeding. The baby elephant, which was released after the funeral, was found wandering around the incident site, he said.