Veterinary experts administering preliminary treatment to the injured elephant at Athirappilly after tranquillising it on February 19, 2025.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

The injured elephant from Athirappilly in Thrissur district of Kerala, which was tranquillised and transferred to the Abhayaranayam Elephant Camp at Kodanad for treatment just two days ago, died on Friday (February 21, 2025.)

By noon, the elephant had collapsed in its kraal while undergoing treatment, as reported by the Divisional Forest Officer from Vazhachal. The full details of the death will be available only after a post-mortem examination.

The elephant had suffered from a severe infection in a deep wound on its forehead, which had spread to its trunk, making it increasingly difficult to breathe and drink.

The elephant with a deep and severely infected wound on its forehead was tranquillised and caught by a veterinary expert team led by Chief Veterinary Officer Arun Zechariah on Wednesday (February 19).

The veterinary experts, who removed the pus from the maggot-infected deep wound from it forehead, was apprehensive about its condition and noted that it will take time to assess how it is going to respond to the treatment. The elephant was exhausted after the tranquillisation.

According to Forest Minister A.K. Saseendran, the veterinarians had expressed only 30 % hope of rescue of the elephant. “According to the Forest department, the fights between elephants for survival among wild elephants are natural and 12 elephants had died in such fights in our forest in the last two years,” the Minister said.

The elephant was first spotted with deep injury on its forehead over two months ago by estate workers at Vettilappara. It was first tranquillised and given treatment on January 24 by the veterinary team. However, the wound failed to heal, and the infection worsened, leaving the elephant weak and unable to feed properly. On February 19, the elephant was tranquillised again and transported to Kodanad for more intensive care. There it was shifted to a kraal for treatment.

However, some veterinary experts argue that the elephant should have been transferred to Kodanad immediately after the first tranquillisation in January. They believe the delay in proper care might have contributed to its demise.