Vets treat elephant injured by snare trap in Assam national park
The female elephant sustained a deep cut on her trunk caused by the tightly embedded wire snare, resulting in significant soft-tissue injury with pus discharge
Wildlife veterinarians have treated a female elephant with a trunk injury caused by a snare trap near Raimona National Park in western Assam. The elephant, believed to be around 25 years old and with her calf, was spotted on September 1 with a life-threatening wound near Daogen Gonthong anti-poaching camp, close to the India-Bhutan border.
Forest guards tracked the elephant over the following days to plan a safe intervention. A veterinary team comprising Prabhat Basumatary, Daoharu Baro, and Pankaj Chakraborty immobilized the elephant and treated the injury in about 30 minutes. The trunk had a deep cut from a tightly embedded wire snare, resulting in significant soft-tissue damage and pus discharge.
The team removed the wire, cleaned the wound, removed dead tissue, applied antiseptic dressing, and provided wound management. Sanfan Range Officer Biswajit Basumatary warned that snare traps are lethal and cause severe injuries, potentially leading to death if an animal cannot free itself or receive timely treatment. The Divisional Forest Officer assured that the elephant will be closely monitored for recovery and steps are being taken to prevent such incidents in the future.
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