Jharsuguda: An ailing tusker found lying under a tree at Sunamal reserve forest near Kolabira in this district died Tuesday morning while under treatment. With this, the number of tusker deaths in the area in the last four months touched eight, reports said.
According to officials, the pachyderm was affected by an ailment inside its mouth. Locals had found it lying in a critical condition a few days ago and informed forest officials. A treatment followed.
A check-up showed the tusker was having a huge wound inside its mouth. It could not take food as a result and had been separated from its herd. It was in a difficult condition.
A veterinary team from Bhubaneswar OUAT along with a Nandankanan tranquilizer team treated the tusker May 19. This did not help. The tusker turned weaker by the day and did not respond to treatment.
A team of forest officials reached the spot and prepared for the post-mortem of the animal.