Wild tusker strays into tea estate near Gudalur, electrocuted

The elephant herd was lured into the tea estate by the smell of ripened jack fruits grown there.

According to sources, a herd of elephants ventured into Cherambadi area on Sunday night to feed on jack fruits. “Villagers heard continuous trumpeting by elephants all through the night, but they didn’t step out of their house fearing an attack,” sources said.

Villagers found a 15-year-old male jumbo lying dead on Monday morning. On receiving information, a team of Forest department staff rushed to the spot and found other elephants standing near the deceased jumbo. After chasing the herd away by firing crackers, they carried out an autopsy on the carcass of the animal.

“The pachyderm had tried to break a tree branch, which then touched the electric line resulting in its electrocution and death,” said a department staff.

However, vital organ parts of the deceased jumbo were harvested and sent for a lab analysis to know the exact reason for its death.