Gibbon wildlife sanctuary
Jorhat, April 21 : The injured elephant of Gibbon wildlife sanctuary along the Assam-Nagaland border under Mariani range of Jorhat forest division was located today by a forest team inside the sanctuary, tranquillised and treated.
The jumbo was spotted by the forest staff last week, limping on its left front leg because of an injury. It might have been injured after its leg hit the iron rail of the tracks while running away from an approaching train.
Divisional forest officer (Jorhat) N.K. Malakar told The Telegraph that following search operations launched by the department since last Saturday, the adult tusker, aged about 12 years, was located at compartment number three of the sanctuary in the morning.
Malakar said a veterinary team from the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) at Borguri near Kaziranga reached the site and tranquillised the jumbo in the afternoon.
He said the wound was cleaned up with medicines and about seven shots of injection having antibiotic and vitamins was administered to the elephant, adding that another wound on the rear portion of the head was found and treated.
Malakar said the CWRC team asked the forest staff to monitor the movements of the elephant for two days, after which it would have to be tranquillised again for a check-up.
Meleng forest beat officer Dipak Bordoloi said the elephant, in the last few days, had been moving along with its herd in and around Gibbon. However, because of increase in pain, the jumbo was today seen sitting near a tree.
