Tusker treated for wounds, released

Golaghat (Assam), July 14, 2010: The Assam Forest Department assisted by the International Fund for Animal Welfare – Wildlife Trust of India run Mobile Veterinary Services (MVS) attended to a case of an injured tusker found in Golaghat near Nambor, on Saturday. The tusker was tranquilised and successfully treated by the team. 

News of the tusker’s presence two kilometres away from a human settlement came in from the Forest Department officials late on the evening of July 9. The MVS unit led by veterinarian Dr Anil Deka, based at the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) near Kaziranga National Park, ventured out next morning to attend to the animal.

The tusker was lumbering around with its right foreleg swollen. It did not attempt to charge at anyone. Approaching it on the back of a captive elephant, the team members tranquilised it and cleaned the festering wound of maggots and dressed it.  According to Dr Phulmoni Gogoi, IFAW-WTI veterinarian, CWRC, the injury was a week old. “We suspect the injury was caused due to infighting as there were puncture marks on its leg,” she said.

The animal was treated and left in the place to regain consciousness.