(IN): Elephant-down with fever

August 7, 2008

Down with fever

OUR CORRESPONDENT*

*Alipurduar, Aug. 6:* A wild tusker running high temperature collapsed this

morning inside a teak plantation located in the West Rajabhatkhaowa range of

the Buxa Tiger Reserve.

Foresters are concerned as it is said that an animal the size of an elephant

will find it difficult to survive if it falls to the ground and lies there

for long.

" In these cases, they die because their body weight crushes the lungs. But

that usually happens if the animal crouches with its knees bent. If the

animal lies on its side, then the chances of the lungs collapsing are less, "

said Animesh Bose, the programme coordinator of the Himalayan Nature and

Adventure Foundation.

A group of forest guards on patrol had spotted the animal inside the SRVK 2

compartment, 18km from here. When the almost 25-year-old elephant did not

move even after crackers were burst, they suspected something amiss and

approached the animal only to find it shivering.

" After some time, it collapsed to the ground and could not get up. The body

temperature was also very high, " said A.P. Singh, the deputy field director

of the reserve.

Singh said the animal was first seen around 10am. " Whenever an elephant

falls to the ground, it is difficult to say whether it will survive or not.

But we are trying our best, " the forest official said.

The forest guards poured water brought from a nearby *jhora* on the tusker

for more than three hours before the animal started moving its trunk, ear

and front legs. Although the tusker tried to get up a few times, it could

not.

Around 2.30pm, vets reached the spot with medicines. Proloy Mandal, the

veterinary surgeon of Jaldapara, came half an hour later.

--

United against elephant polo

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