Two more elephants die, taking toll to four

Close on the heels of the death of two elephants due to electrocution near Mettupalayam in the district, two more pachyderms, including a one-and-half year-old male calf, which suffered electric shock, died today, officials said.
Yesterday, a 30-year-old female elephant and its two-year-old male calf were found electrocuted after they came in contact with a high powered fence in a farm at Dasampalayam, some 40 km from here.
Forest officials and police had noticed another calf lying at some distance from the fence and taken it to a nearby veterinary hospital.However, the calf escaped but officials managed to capture it after tranquilising it, officials said.

Since the calf sustained burn injuries on its trunk, the veterinarian performed an operation. However, it died an hour after the operation, today, officials said.
Meanwhile, a seven-year-old female elephant was found seriously injured on its mouth, reportedly after trying to ingest country-made crackers usually kept to catch wild boar, near Seeliyur, some 20 km from Mettupalayam, early today, they said.
However, it died, without responding to treatment, the sources said.
With this, four elephants have died in a 10 km radius at Mettupalayam in a span of less than 24 hours.