The carcass of a 14-year-old female elephant was found in the Coonoor Forest Range on Friday.
Forest Department officials who conducted preliminary investigations said that the animal slipped from the cliff and fell more than 150 ft. A post-mortem examination would be conducted.
In another incident, a deer was killed after being hit by a car inside the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve on Friday. The driver of the vehicle stopped the car and informed the Forest Department. A fine of ? 15,000 was levied on the driver of the vehicle by the Kargudi Forest Range Officer.