(IN): Elephant dies at Amber as Vets fail to save injured elephant

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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/4930856.cms Elephant dies at

AmberTNN 25 August 2009, 03:42am IST

JAIPUR: In what can be described as a blow to elephant tourism at the Amber

Fort, a 25-year-old she-elephant that had run off to the hills on

Sunday died under mysterious conditions on Monday.

 

Officials of the state forest department refused to go into the details of

the death but hinted that the elephant had received severe injuries.

However, others present on the spot were of the opinion that the elephant

died due to an overdose of tranquillisers.

 

The body of the elephant has been sent for a post mortem which will be

conducted on Tuesday. The forest department has also constituted a board and

ordered an enquiry into the circumstances leading to the death of the

elephant.

 

In what could otherwise have been a tragedy on Sunday the elephant, Naina,

suddenly went astray from its regular route along the ramp to the Amber Fort

while ferrying tourists. Those present on the spot revealed that the

elephant got excited and went off to the nearby hills.

 

At the time of the incident, about 3 pm, there were many tourists who were

going atop or coming down from the Amber Fort. However, an alert mahawat did

well to dislodge the tourists just in time and avoided any mishap.

 

According to Rashid Khan of the Mahawat Association of the Amber fort,

" Since the time the elephant went off to the hills, a search had begun for

it and the elephant was spotted at night. But as it was dark we preferred

not to disturb her. This morning again about 60 of us went atop the hills

and spotted the elephant. "

 

The mahawats were being helped by officials of the forest department. Ropes

were tied to the elephant while its mahawat went up as the elephant was

being slowly directed down the hills. However, after coming down a few yards

the elephant fell down. Officials of the forest department then injected the

elephant with some some tranquilisers.

 

" Soon after the elephant was injected, it got up and tried to walk but fell

down again. Thereafter it did not wake up, " Khan said. He however, refused

to blame any one for the incident.

 

Even officials of the forest department refuted blames and said the elephant

was just injected 20-25 % of the tranquilliser in the prescribed norm. " The

elephant might have been bitten by a snake or could have died due to

neurological problems. The exact reason will be known tomorrow, " officials

said.

 

This is not the first time that elephants have gone astray at Amber. Last

year, one elephant on sighting the statue of a white elephant that was being

used as a prop for a shooting had behaved in a similar manner.

 

Prior to that on September 15, 2005, irritated on being jostled around to

facilitate good photographs, an elephant trampled to death a tourist guide

and injured two foreigners. The tourist guide died on his way to the

hospital while the two Belgian women had to be admitted to SMS hospital.

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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Vets-fail-to-save-injured-elephant-at-Amber/a\

rticleshow/4930858.cms

Vets

fail to save injured elephant at Amber TNN 25 August 2009, 03:45am IST

JAIPUR: An elephant, used for tourist rides at Amber Fort, died under

mysterious circumstances on Monday, a day after it got infuriated and ran

off to the hills.

 

The 25-year-old female elephant, which had sustained serious injuries, died

even after veterinarians tried to resuscitate it by injecting some

medicines.

 

According to forest officials, the post-mortem of the animal will be

conducted on Tuesday. The department has also constituted a board and

ordered an inquiry into the circumstances leading to its death.

 

According to eyewitnesses, the elephant, Naina, suddenly went astray from

its regular route along the ramp to the Amber Fort while ferrying tourists.

It soon ran off to the nearby hills, they said.

 

The incident occurred around 3 pm when there were many tourists going atop

or coming down from the fort. However, an alert mahout acted swiftly to

dislodge the tourists on time and avoid any mishap

 

 

 

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