Two elephants die in Mysore district (India)

Times of India

28 January 2009

MYSORE: Close on heels of the death of a leopard in Heggadadevana Kote taluk, two elephants including a calf died in two separate incidents in Mysore district on Monday. A 6-year-old male calf is suspected to have died due to electric shock in Makanapura, Nanjangud taluk whereas 40-year-old tamed elephant, succumbed to illness. 

Mysore division DCF Shashwathi Mishra suspects the death of the calf to be a case of electrocution because it was found dead near a field belonging to one Jayaram, who has electric fence across the field. The DCF claimed that there is a rule that in case a wild animal dies due to electric shock, the case has to be transferred to police for investigation. She suspected that the land owner had illegally tapped power to protect the produce from wildlife. Mishra said," Once the postmortem report is ready, we will register a case against Jayaram under Wildlife Protection Act and KEB Act''. Autopsy was conducted by Dr Venkatesh and the report is expected in another two days, the DCF added. 

In another case, a tamed elephant died due to illness at the elephant camp in Mattigud in Hunsur wildlife division. Manikanta, 40, was suffering from illness since two weeks and on Monday it breathed its last. A forest official said Manikanta was captured near Hassan a year back. 

It may be remembered that two months back, four pachyderms including a calf were found dead in a canal in Kapsoge village of Nanjangud taluk. Prima facie officials suspected that elephants died due to electric shock and later they claimed it may be a case of poisoning. However, officials concerned are yet to ascertain the exact cause for the deaths of these animals.