Months after poachers hacked off its tusks, Assam elephant undergoes critical dental procedure
Veterinary experts perform complex pulpotomy on 16-year-old Mangal Singh to treat severe infection after the tusks were sawed off near their roots
Five months after poachers hacked off the tusks of a 16-year-old male elephant named Mangal Singh in eastern Assam, the animal underwent a critical dental procedure on August 26, 2026. The procedure, known as a partial pulpotomy, was necessary to close the exposed pulp cavities left behind by the poaching incident. Mangal Singh was left with life-threatening injuries and severe bleeding in the days following the poaching, which occurred near the roots of the tusks in Dibrugarh district.
Local veterinarians were initially taking care of the elephant, but the exposed pulp cavities required specialized treatment. The dental procedure was led by Bhaskar Choudhury from the Wildlife Trust of India, along with a team of experts including an elephant anaesthesia specialist, an orthodontist, and veterinarians from the Animal Husbandry Department.
The team performed the pulpotomy in the Dhulijan forest area of Digboi Forest Division's Lakhipathar to minimize stress on the elephant, which has been a part of its owners' family since it was young. The incident highlights the severe consequences of illegal ivory-related activities and emphasizes the need for continued vigilance and stronger protection measures against wildlife criminals.
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