Elephant found dead in BNP may have fallen from hillock

An elephant’s carcass was found in the Bannerghatta National Park on the city’s outskirts two days ago, with forest officials saying that the animal died within the park’s Ragihalli range.

Forest personnel patrolling the area followed the foul odor and found the carcass. Deputy Conservator of Forest, BNP, B N N Murthy, said the elephant appeared to have died after falling from the hillock while traversing through the forest.

“This is one of the rare cases (of animal death). It was a female elephant aged about 35 to 40 years. The post-mortem revealed no traces of any ailments,” he explained.

Range Forest Officer Ganesh said a dried tree stump had pierced the pachyderm’s stomach and the animal had suffered intestinal rupture. “It may have slipped while descending the slope,” another officer said.

Veterinary officials who conducted the post-mortem said the tree stump had pierced about two feet into the elephant’s stomach. “The elephant may have struggled hard to remove the trunk and may have died due to the trauma,” Murthy explained.

The Ragihalli range, also called Ragihalli State Forest, was notified in 1884 and is sprawled over 7,000 acres. Interspersed with rocky hillocks and deciduous shrub forest, the range has dense vegetation in some patches, especially along the valley areas.

Following the foul smell along the Ragihalli Main Road, forest personnel patrolling the area discovered the carcass within 100 metres of the main road. The department personnel said a few wild dogs were seen feeding on the carcass.