Tamed elephant dies after being attacked by wild elephant in Kodagu's Mathigodu Elephant Camp

A tamed elephant died after being attacked by a wild elephant at the Mathigodu Elephant Camp in Kodagu on Thursday.

The elephant, Rajendra (56), succumbed to its injuries after being found severely injured on Wednesday morning.

The tamed elephants were left to graze in the forest on Tuesday night. The mahouts and kavaids spotted a severely injured Rajendra the next morning when they left for the forest to get the elephants back.

The male elephant, which was brought back to the camp, was being treated but succumbed to its injuries on Thursday, said RFO Y K Kiran Kumar.

Rajendra was caught at the Yadavanadu forest in Somwarpet back in 1990. “The elephant was like a leader in the camp,” said the mahouts.

Veterinary doctor Mujeeb Rehman conducted the post mortem in the presence of Rajiv Gandhi National Park Director D Mahesh Kumar, Hunsur wildlife division ACF A V Sathish and others.

Wildlife activists alleged that there is no protection for the elephants and mahouts at the Mathigodu Elephant Camp which is situated beside the Hunsur-Virajpet state highway.

Two years ago, a tamed elephant, Ranga, died after a private bus rammed into it.

Six months ago, a mahout had died when a vehicle knocked him down while he was accompanying the elephants to the forest.

The camp had 42 elephants two years ago. The number has now dwindled to 17.