Three elephant deaths in 10 days in Nilgiris not caused by lack of water: Forest department
The fact that elephant deaths have occurred during a period of relatively low rainfall alone cannot be scientifically used as a basis for concluding that the deaths were caused by drought, the forest department said.
The forest department in the Nilgiris has debunked claims that three elephant deaths in a span of 10 days were due to a lack of rainfall. Three female elephants died between August 8 and 18 in the Masinagudi forest range of Mudumalai Tiger Reserve. The forest department's statement clarifies that all three elephants died due to natural causes.
The first elephant, aged 50, died of advanced age on August 8, while the second, also 50, was found dead near the Moyar River on August 17 due to old age. The third elephant, approximately 30 years old, is believed to have died from an injury possibly inflicted by another elephant, found near the Maravakandi Reservoir. The forest department emphasizes that the deaths cannot be linked to drought as elephants require large amounts of food and water and move across significant areas, with habitat use and movements varying seasonally. The area has an average of 15-20 natural elephant deaths per year.
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