The wild elephant nicknamed ‘Rolex’ that was captured by the Forest Department from Boluvampatti valley in Coimbatore district on October 17 weighed over six tonnes, which was unusual for an Asian elephant in the wild.
Forest Department officials and veterinarians were surprised to find that the tusker weighed 6.5 tonnes after the capture.
“This elephant (Rolex) was an extremely different type of elephant as it weighed 6.5 tonnes. This weight is hardly found in Asian elephants in the wild. This range of weight is found in African elephants and not in Asian elephants. This elephant had lived for a very long time near human habitations, habituated to crop-raiding,” said Rakesh Kumar Dogra, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden, who had tasked a fact-finding committee to find out reasons for the elephant’s death after its translocation to the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR).
Bodily samples of elephant ‘Rolex’ to be tested in six laboratories
According to him, the animal had underlying conditions that affected its heart. “The committee is yet to submit the report. As per the initial findings, the elephant died due to cardiomyopathy,” he said.
