Bhubaneswar: An ailing elephant roaming inside the Chandaka forest area on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar tranquilised after two days of marathon effort, and provided special medical treatment by a team of veterinarians.
Officials said the tusker had been unwell for the past five days and was seen limping with difficulty in movement inside the forest. Drone surveillance was used to track its movement before the animal was tranquilised.
In view of its poor health condition, teams from the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) and Nandankanan Zoological Park were engaged for medical intervention.
A detailed medical examination was conducted after the forest department team tranquilised the animal. Veterinarians said the elephant had not been hit by any bullet but a blood clot had formed in its left leg, probably caused by an injury. To rule out the possibility of gunshot or stabbing injuries, the elephant’s body was scanned using a metal detector, which did not reveal the presence of any metallic object.
The clotted blood was removed from the swollen portion of the left leg and the jumbo was administered saline and antibiotics as part of the treatment protocol. The elephant’s condition is stated to be stable at present.
The elephant will be kept under close observation for the next one week to monitor its recovery.
