ATR camp elephant Vijayalakshmi dies at 71

COIMBATORE Vijayalakshmi, one of the oldest camp elephants of the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, died

Vijayalakshmi, one of the oldest camp elephants of the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, died at the age of 71 at the Kozhikamuthi elephant camp of the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) on Wednesday.

According to ATR authorities, the elephant died around 2.15 p.m. after being under the care and supervision of a team of veterinarians for 20 days. The elephant, that retired in 2010, was not taking fodder properly from April 7 due to digestive ailments triggered by old age.

The elephant was under the treatment of a four-member team comprising A. Sukumar, Forest Veterinary Officer of Coimbatore Forest Division; N.S. Manoharan, Regional Joint Director of Veterinary Services (retired); S. Dharmaceelan, a professor of the Veterinary College and Research Institute, Namakkal; and R. Perumalsamy, Regional Joint Director of the Department of Animal Husbandry.

Vijayalakshmi was captured by the Forest Department near Top Slip in 1973. After training, the elephant was used for various purposes by the Forest Department. She was the second oldest elephant in Kozhikamuthi camp after Sivakami aged 75.