Mysore/Mysuru: A female elephant has died at Moleyur Range of Hediyala Sub-Division in Bandipur Tiger Reserve Forest on Monday. The elephant was aged about 25 years and is suspected to have died due to illness.

The Forest Department staff, who were on their regular beat on Sunday, found the elephant lying near Hidugalapanchi Lake and informed their higher officers, who along with the veterinarian rushed to the spot and examined the elephant and found that the elephant was suffering from sickness. Though the veterinarian began to treat the elephant, it succumbed to illness at about 4 am on Monday. 

Post-mortem was conducted by Veterinarian Dr. Waseem Mirza in the presence of Bandipur Tiger Reserve Director S. Prabhakaran, Hediyala Sub-Division Assistant Conservator of Forest (ACF) G. Ravindra, Moleyur Range Forest Officer (RFO) Amrutha Mayappanavar, Inur Marigudi RFO D. Puneeth Kumar and National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) representative Raghuram.

Samples from the dead elephant were collected and sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) to ascertain the cause of the death.