Wounded wild elephant treated in Banavara

A wild elephant in the Banavara reserve forest that had been in intense pain due to a leg injury was rescued and brought under treatment of experts in the Forest Department.

The residents of the locality near the forest first noticed the elephant limping in pain in the forest.

A closer examination led to the discovery that it had been severely injured in the hind leg. A video of the injured elephant limping in the forest, recorded by the local residents, had also gone viral on social media.

The 30-year-old pachyderm had been injured a fortnight ago, while drinking water in a lake in Bhuvangala village.

The Forest Department officials tracked the movements of the elephant in the Banavara reserve forest. The officials in Somwarpet swung into action and decided to rescue the wild elephant.

The task, however, proved anything but easy, as the injured wild elephant was gripped by fear and threw tantrums and also ran helter-skelter in the forest.

Help of tames

The forest officials had to take the help of the tame elephants, Abhimanyu and Krishna, from the Mattigodu elephant camp, and Vikram, from Dubare forest camp.

The injured elephant was captured at 11.30 am on Wednesday and was shifted to the Nidtha reserve forest.

Experts immediately cleaned the wound on the left hind leg and dressed it. The team of veterinarians continued the treatment on Thursday too.

Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Chinnappa said that the elephant is responding to the treatment well.

Health monitor

“Every possible measure is being taken to cure the wild elephant. The health of the elephant will also be monitored after its release into the forest. It is presently confined to the Nidtha reserve forest. If required, the elephant will be shifted to any of the elephant camps, for advanced treatment,” the official clarified.

Forest Department officials Madhava Nayak and around 30 personnel from Shanivarasanthe, Huduguru, Banavara, Nagarahole and Dubare took part in the elephant rescue operation.

The Police Department took necessary measures to control the crowd during the operation.