PALAKKAD: A female elephant in an advanced stage of pregnancy fell into an unused well in a private compound at Mattayi in Poongode, Pothundy and died instantly in Nenmara here on Monday.
Nenmara forest range officer B Renjith said that the post mortem examination performed by veterinarians Dr Biju and Dr Jayasree revealed that there was a fully developed calf inside its stomach.
The she-elephant which was between the age of 15 to 20 years could not see the well which had no compound wall as it was pitch dark. He said that there was a street light around 20 metres away but it was not functioning due to the rains and winds.
The well had a depth of more than 20 metres and it was in a private compound. The elephant fell with its face down and was suffocated to death as it could not move.
He said the elephant would have been part of a herd which frequented the area as the forests were located around 30 metres away.
The forest personnel who reached the spot included Divisional Forest Officer N Rajesh, foresters, guards and watchers. Initially a slope was made into the well. It was the watchers who entered the well and tied the ropes to the legs of the elephant to pull it out using earth movers.
After the post mortem, the carcass of the elephant was buried in the nearby Nelliampathy forests.