Elephant dies 3 weeks after being rescued from mud in Ctg
Elephant dies 3 weeks after being rescued from mud in Ctg
The Business Standard
March 28, 2025
See link
https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/environment/elephant-dies-23-days-after-being-rescued-mud-ctg-1104276
for photo.
A wild elephant, which was injured after getting stuck in the mud at
Chunati Wildlife Sanctuary in Chattogram's Banshkhali, died today (28
March).
The elephant was rescued from mud at a water stream near the Napora area of
the sanctuary on 6 March and had been receiving treatment for the past 23
days.
Chattogram Wildlife and Biodiversity Conservation Officer Dipannita
Bhattacharjee said, "The elephant had not been eating food since 25 March.
We were administering saline and antibiotics.
"It could not stand up or sit up, but it was eating fairly well. But after
not eating for three days, it became even weaker and eventually died at
around 11:35am today."
The elephant, approximately 35 years old, was being treated next to the
water stream
"The elephant weighs more than 2 tonnes. Since the area is deep in the
inaccessible forest, there was no chance of taking it to the safari park.
As much treatment and care as possible was being provided during the day.
It is not safe to stay there at night as wild elephants roam in that area.
Even then, forest department officials and employees have tried their best
to cure the elephant," Dipannita said.
Dr Zulkarnain, who was in charge of the elephant's medical care, said, "The
elephant's physical condition started improving from 12 March. However,
after stopping the medicines on the advice of an international elephant
expert, its physical condition started to deteriorate. We contacted
elephant experts from different countries and took their advice. But in the
end, we could not save the elephant."
Abu Naser Mohammad Yasin, divisional forest officer at the Wildlife
Management & Nature Conservation Division, said, "A specialised helicopter
would have been needed to rescue the elephant from the deep forest. Also, a
veterinarian hospital would have been needed for treatment. However, we
have only one veterinary surgeon in the entire Chattogram district.
"Despite these limitations, 12-13 of our workers have gone five kilometers
deep into the forest every day to take care of the elephant for the past 23
days. Despite our best efforts, we couldn't save the elephant."