The elephant after the removal of a metal wire from its left forelimb in Sirumugai forest range limits on Sunday.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
A team of veterinarians on Sunday treated a wild elephant that was found roaming with an iron wire entangled around its left forelimb, cutting deep into the flesh, in the Sirumugai forest range of the Coimbatore Forest Division.The female elephant, aged between eight and 10, was first noticed with the wound around its left forelimb, below the wrist, at Uliyur in the Nilgiri eastern slope reserve forest on September 2. The elephant was weak and limping as it was not able to traverse and forage normally.Veterinarians removed an iron wire, suspected to be a snare, that cut deep into the flesh of a wild elephant's forelimb in Sirumugai forest range of the #Coimbatore Forest Division. Field staff are monitoring the elephant. @THChennaipic.twitter.com/Aa8jCS2MCy— Wilson Thomas (@wilson__thomas) September 7, 2026A team comprising five veterinarians, District Forest Officer, two Forest Range Officers and 60 staff from the Department were formed for the treatment of the elephant, after obtaining permission from the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests. The ailing animal was tracked and monitored by experienced elephant trackers and using a drone camera.The veterinarians tranquillised the elephant on Sunday and removed the wire, suspected to be a snare that was found tightly wound around the forelimb. The veterinarians administered antibiotics and other essential medicines to the elephant under sedation, after cleaning the affected area.A Forest Department official said that the wire could have got entangled around the forelimb of the elephant several weeks ago. But the Department was unable to ascertain the location of the incident. Four teams have been formed to monitor the elephant round the clock in two shifts, added the official. Published - September 07, 2026 08:25 pm IST
