The pregnant elephant that died in Kerala’s Palakkad city last month had major wounds in its oral cavity, which most likely occurred after...
The pregnant elephant that died in Kerala’s Palakkad city last month had major wounds in its oral cavity, which most likely occurred after an explosive went off in the mouth, PTI reported, citing the autopsy report. It added that the elephant was unable to eat for nearly two weeks before her death.
“The major and incapacitating wounds and injuries in oral cavity caused localised sepsis and have most likely occurred following an explosive blast in the mouth,” the report said. “This has resulted in excruciating pain and distress in the region and prevented the animal from taking food and water for nearly two weeks. Severe debility and weakness in turn resulted in the final collapse in water that led to drowning.”
Meanwhile, the immediate cause of death of the elephant in the report is stated to be inhalation of water leading to respiratory failure. “No bullet, snare or any other metallic or foreign object found in any part of the carcass,” it added.
The elephant, estimated to be a 15-year-old, died in the Velliyar stream in Palakkad on May 27. The wound was presumably caused by some explosives put in a fruit that the elephant ate, which was set as a trap by local farmers against wild animals....
