The death of a six-year-old female elephant in O’Valley in Gudalur on Friday could have been due to accidental ingestion of pesticides, according to Forest Department officials.
The animal was found dead near a tea estate, triggering suspicion that local people might have caused it. However, a post-mortem conducted by veterinarians from the Forest Department revealed that the animal had swallowed a packet of what seemed to be pesticides used in tea fields and estates.
D. Venkatesh, Conservator of Forests (the Nilgiris), said a case had been registered under the Wildlife Protection Act, and samples of the animal’s organs had been sent for forensic analysis. “We will identify the pesticide that was ingested by the animal. We are also searching the area to ascertain whether the elephant had broken into a building or a storage area looking for food when it accidentally ingested the pesticide,” said Mr. Venkatesh.
