Meanwhile, doctors told the media that as per the preliminary reports, the cause of death of the elephant was "pulmonary arrest".
Karnataka wild tusker Thanneer Komban before its capture. (Supplied)
The Kerala government on Saturday, 3 February, appointed a high-level committee headed by a chief conservator of forests (CCF) to probe whether there were any lapses in connection with the capture of the rogue elephant from Wayanad which died after being transported to Karnataka.
Called “Thanneer Komban” by locals, the elephant was captured more than 16 hours after it entered Kerala on Friday.
Kerala Forest Minister AK Saseendran told PTI that a committee headed by Eastern Circle CCF and Custodian of Vested Forests, Palakkad, K Vijayananthan, would probe the matter and submit a report within a month.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre indicated that animals do not have borders, and apparently objected to branding “wildlife” as belonging to one particular state.
The minister took exception to transporting the elephant back to the state of its origin.
“Branding an elephant or any wildlife to a particular state and sending it back is not acceptable,” Khandre said.
The minister said he would discuss the matter with his Kerala counterpart.
Describing the incident as unfortunate, the minister emphasised the significance of forests as crucial habitats for animals, asserting that delineating boundaries between states is not justified for the well-being of wildlife.
Highlighting the interconnected landscape of Bandipur-Mudumalai-Nagarahole and Wayanad within the Nilgiri Biosphere, the minister emphasised the absence of natural boundaries for wildlife.
He called for a collective understanding that animals move freely in search of food and water, urging humans to coexist with wildlife, particularly elephants, which have roamed the Eastern and Western Ghats regions for millennia.
Expressing concern over the viral video depicting Kerala forest staff administering tranquilisers to “Thanneer,” Khandre acknowledged the sorrowful loss of the elephant and pledged to take measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
A statement issued by his office said Thanneer Komban was among the 23 elephants found roaming in the Belur and Sakleshpur ranges of Hassan district.
Meanwhile, doctors who were part of the necropsy of the elephant, which had died at Bandipur in Karnataka, told reporters that as per preliminary reports, the cause of death was “pulmonary arrest”.
“There was a 40-cm-wide wound on the elephant’s thigh, which was filled with pus. There are chances of infection. We have collected the samples which will be sent to the laboratory for further examination,” Wayand Forest Veterinary Officer Dr Ajesh Mohandas, who was present during the autopsy of the elephant, told reporters.
He further said that the injury in the thigh was over a month old and the pulmonary arrest was due to that infection.
Mohandas said the animal had undergone heavy stress and trauma twice in the last month.
He was referring to the reports which said that the elephant was earlier tranquillised in Karnataka when it ventured into a human habitat. The animal, which then ventured into Kerala, was captured on Friday after being darted.
However, Saseendran said the autopsy was held in Karnataka and the official report would be out after the concerned officials prepared it.
He said the high-level committee was appointed to probe whether there were any lapses in capturing the pachyderm.
Saseendran had earlier termed it as the ‘utmost painful’, the news about the animal’s death, which had shocked everyone.
Fitted with a radio collar in Bandipur, the elephant crossed the Kabini river and was found at the Wayanad border in Kerala.
The tusker was darted with tranquiliser shots twice before being loaded onto a truck with the help of kumki elephants for being transported to Bandipur in Karnataka.
After around 10 pm on Friday, the pachyderm was loaded onto the truck with the help of the kumki elephants.
Kumki elephants are captive pachyderms used in operations for trapping and capturing other elephants.
The elephant was calm and composed throughout and did not attack anyone or cause any major property damage.
Three deputy conservators of forests from Kerala and officials from Karnataka were present when the elephant was brought to Rampur elephant camp, the statement said.
However, after reaching the camp, the elephant died. Earlier, it strayed into Mananthavady town in Wayanad and created panic in the area.
(With PTI inputs)
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