Forest department personnel rescued a tusker that was battling for life after falling into a trench at Anechowkuru Reserve Forest in the taluk on Thursday.
After receiving information that an elephant was stuck in an elephant trench under CPT 7 forest near Kogilawadi in the taluk, a team rushed to its rescue.
During the rescue operation, the personnel found that the elephant’s left front limb was injured. Veterinarian Dr Mujeeb provided treatment. As the jumbo had got stuck in slush, it was difficult to lift it. Hence, Dasara elephants Abhimanyu and Krishna were brought from Mathigodu elephant camp for the rescue operation. Later, the jumbo was lifted using a crane.
ACF Somappa said that the elephant must have been suffering from a leg injury for a month and may have lost its vision.
Veterinarian Dr Mujeeb said that the elephant might have got injured in a fight with another jumbo as one of its tusks was broken.
The villagers said that the jumbo had crossed the trench and had destroyed crops in the surrounding villages. They said that the jumbo was limping and despite alerting the Forest department, no measures were taken. The negligence of the department left the jumbo ailing, they complained.
RFOs Girish and DRFO Naveen Kumar participated in the rescue operation.
