A 32-year-old tusker, Showrya, died at the Sakrebailu Elephant Camp near Shivamogga on Thursday. According to preliminary reports, the elephant had been suffering from a wound that had turned necrotic.
The animal was captured in the Balehonnur Range of Chikkamagaluru district following complaints from local people that it was causing trouble. It was shifted to the camp on February 22 this year and kept in a kraal as part of the taming process. Camp staff took it out of the kraal on May 11. With its death, the number of elephants at the camp has come down to 23.
According to Prasanna Patagar, Deputy Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Shivamogga, the elephant had a habit of hitting the walls of the kraal, which caused several injuries. The camp veterinarian, Dr. Murali Manohar, treated them.
Mr. Patagar said that an injury was noticed recently on the thigh of the left hind limb. “The wound was deep and had turned necrotic, which means the tissue had died. We consulted two more veterinarians. They examined the animal, reviewed the treatment being given and advised continuing the same,” he said.
The elephant collapsed on Wednesday night, and the staff and the veterinarian provided medical care. However, it died around 8 a.m. on Thursday. The exact cause of death will be known after the post-mortem, Mr. Patagar said.
Environmental activists had recently raised concern over the animal’s health, following which the Chief Minister’s Office sought an explanation from the officials. In his reply to the CM’s office on September 24, the DCF (Wildlife) said the elephant was under the care of Murali Manohar. He added that a team of veterinarians, comprising Mujeebur Rahman, Chief Veterinarian, Kodagu Circle, and Kiran of Bannerughatta National Park, had visited the camp on September 21 and reviewed the treatment.
In the reply, he also pointed to the absence of an expert veterinarian at the camp to look after the animals.
Published – October 01, 2026 07:35 pm IST
