A young female elephant died after falling from a steep cliff along the Nadugani ghat road near Nilambur, and part of its trunk was later found to have been eaten by a tiger. Forest officials confirmed the presence of fresh tiger pugmarks near the carcass.
The carcass of the female elephant, estimated to be around 12 years old, was found on a concrete slab above a culvert near Jaram on the Vazhikkadavu-Nadugani ghat road, within the Nellikkuthu forest station limits under the Vazhikkadavu forest range.
Forest officials said the elephant was suspected to have slipped from a cliff nearly 30 metres high before crashing onto the concrete structure below. According to forest veterinary surgeon Shyam S., who conducted the necropsy, two ribs had fractured in the fall, with one piercing the heart and causing instant death.
“The cause of death was puncturing of the heart from the fall,” Dr. Shyam said. The elephant’s liver and lungs were also found to have suffered severe damage from the impact. Officials estimated that the elephant had died nearly two days before the carcass was discovered. By then, a tiger had partially eaten the decomposing trunk.
“We found fresh tiger pugmarks near the carcass. However, there is no evidence that the elephant died in a tiger attack. It appears to have slipped off the cliff,” said Vazhikkadavu Forest Range Officer P. Vinod.
After the necropsy, the carcass was moved to a convenient location using a crane and later buried.
Published – May 12, 2026 08:22 pm IST
