Coimbatore: A four-year-old sick female elephant was treated and sent back to Palapadugai reserve forest area in Thalavadi forest range in Erode district in a healthy condition on Wednesday. A forest officer said the elephant was suffering from Helminthiasis disease, a type of worm infection.
The sick elephant was spotted by a patrol team of froest frontline staff near Palapadugai village around 11.30am on Wednesday. Immediately, the team informed Thalavadi forest range officer S Sathish, who in turn pressed forest veterinarian Sathasivam from the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve into service.
The veterinarian administered saline and glucose on the elephant. He also gave the animal deworming tablets and antibiotics.
“We saved the elephant by providing treatment on time. More than 10kg of dung was removed manually from the elephant. Four hours after treatment, the elephant regained its strength and got up on its feet on its own and entered the reserve forest,” forest range officer Sathish said.
The officer said five teams were formed to closely monitor the elephant’s health condition. “We used a drone to monitor the elephant on Wednesday. It joined with its herd on Thursday.” tnn