Sidda, the 35-year-old wild tusker crippled by fracture and acute debility, has just 30% chance of survival, a senior elephant veterinarian said on Monday.
The bull elephant had fractured its right forelimb after falling into a ditch near Dodderi, off Mysuru Road, while walking from Savandurga forest to the Bannerghatta National Park in August.
It remained entrenched in the backwaters of Manchanabele dam near Magadi ever since. On October 22, two Kumki elephants from the Nagarahole National Park helped it come out of the water. A team of veterinarians then treated it.
On Monday, the animal received fresh treatment but Dr K K Sharma, senior elephant veterinarian from the College of Veterinary Science, Guwahati, said the jumbo’s chances of survival were less than 30%. The tusker has an articular fracture.
It can also be called compound fracture as there is a wound on the fracture. A drain has been created for the puss to flow out of the body. Normally in such cases, the injuries do not heal and the animal dies. The same occurs in forests, too, he said.
Though the elephant hasn’t gone back into water, it didn’t take food or water either in the last three days, making it very weak. It was not even in a position to stand up.
The fresh treatment given by a team of veterinarians and volunteers from Wildlife SOS helped it stand up by the afternoon, an official in the forest department said.
The elephant remains under observation, and the department is taking care of its food and medication, he added.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), B G Hosmath, said that the animal should not have been disturbed as people should have let nature do its job.
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