Another elephant death likely caused by cookies, Kerala officials say

The photos showed the elephant standing in the river with its mouth and trunk in the water.

New Delhi:

While the tragic death of a pregnant elephant in Kerala after eating a pineapple full of explosives continues to generate shock and anger, a second elephant death has emerged from the state. A young female elephant was reportedly similarly killed in April in the forests of Kollam district.

An autopsy shows that this elephant suffered fractures of the jaw that “could have gone through something he consumed,” but it is not yet confirmed. Forest officials say a chemical analysis report is expected. “We suspect they are cookies,” a senior forestry official told NDTV.

Authorities found her near a stream in the Pathanapuram forests. “She was very weak and we couldn’t reassure her. We tried to give her some medicine, but she walked a few kilometers. The next day, she collapsed,” a senior forestry official told NDTV.

There has been a torrent of pain from a pregnant Silent Valley wild elephant that died after eating a pineapple filled with firecrackers. After the fruit exploded in its mouth, the elephant walked for days in pain before going to the river and dying on his feet on May 37.

Kerala Prime Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said strict measures will be taken against those responsible for the death of the elephant. “The forestry department is investigating the case and the culprits will be brought to reserve,” said Vijayan.

The photos shared on social media showed the elephant standing in the river with its mouth and trunk in the water, perhaps for unbearable pain relief. She died in that position.

“We do not know when the incident occurred. But due to the hunger and the decline of the elephant, we suspect that it would have happened about 20 days ago,” forest officer Aashique Ali U told NDTV.

The heartbreaking incident arose after Mohan Krishnan, a forest officer, posted an emotional note on his Facebook page. “When we saw her she was standing in the river, her head submerged in the water. She had the sixth feeling that she was going to die. She took the Jalasamadhi in the river in a standing position,” said Krishnan, who was assigned the task. . by bringing the elephant to shore, he wrote.

The elephant had left the forests of Silent Valley and had wandered into a nearby town in search of food.

Country-made biscuit pineapples are generally used by locals to protect their fields from wild boars. According to forest officials, the elephant is suspected to have eaten one of the pineapples.

“I have ordered forest officials to arrest the culprit. We will punish him for ” hunting ” the elephant,” chief chief forest conservator (Wildlife) and chief wildlife guard Surendrakumar told PTI.

Investigating such incidents is difficult because elephants travel several kilometers a day and it is not easy to locate where they may have eaten the fruit, according to authorities. Forest officials encounter such incidents after elephants are separated from their herds, that too weeks later.