Recuperating in wild, Forest staff and veterinarians monitor using drone

Hassan: Bheema, a wild elephant, which lost his left tusk during a fight with another tusker named Captain at the Jagabhoranahalli Research Plantation in Belur taluk of Hassan district on Sunday morning, is currently recuperating in the wild.

Both elephants were said to be in musth and hence, treatment cannot be provided. However, after the fight, Bheema, who had entered a lake last evening to soothe its pain, has walked out of the lake this morning. Forest staff and veterinarians are closely monitoring the situation, with drone teams being deployed to track the elephants’ movements.

A video of the two fighting elephants had gone viral on social media. In the ensuing clash, the enraged elephants moved into the town and ran along the main road causing panic among the people. Even though the Elephant Task Force (ETF) personnel followed the elephants, they were helpless due to the ferocity of both elephants.

Captain then entered the premises of a house and fought with Bheema. In a fit of rage, Captain gored the water tank installed in front of the house with his tusks. Despite efforts by the Elephant Task Force to calm the animals, Bheema rammed a tree and broke his left tusk. Deprived of his tusk, Bheema trumpeted alone with blood streaming from his trunk. He stood in a coffee plantation, groaning in pain and later entered a lake to soothe its pain. Captain also suffered serious injuries in the fight.

According to experts, a lost tusk will not grow back, though the remaining part of a broken tusk may continue to develop. The staff recovered elephant Bheema’s broken tusk, weighing 22.60-kg, from the spot.

Bheema is a beloved elephant among the people of the Malnad region. Seeing his broken tusk, the villagers are deeply saddened.