The female elephant that was found lying in a field
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
A 30-year-old female elephant that ventured out of the forest and entered a farmland at Mudiyanur village was found in a sick and weakened condition on Friday (February 20, 2026) morning.
Farmers noticed the elephant lying in the field and alerted the Thalavadi Range Office under the Hasanur Forest Division. Officials said the animal was unable to stand when forest personnel reached the spot, and efforts by the staff to help it rise were unsuccessful. A veterinary team was pressed into service, and glucose was administered as part of the preliminary treatment.
A forest staff team treating the elephant
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Yogesh Kumar Garg, Deputy Director of the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve and District Forest Officer of the Hasanur Forest Division, told The Hindu that there were no visible external injuries on the elephant and suspected that the condition could be age-related. The animal is being closely monitored by the veterinary team.
He added that Standard Operating Procedures (SoP) were followed while handling the situation, and further course of action would be decided based on the elephant’s response to treatment. A large number of people gathered at the spot as treatment continued.
Published – February 20, 2026 01:10 pm IST
