3 Elephants Found Dead In Tamil Nadu Private Forest; 6 Deaths In 3 Months

Three elephants, including a calf, were found dead under mysterious circumstances in a privately owned forest in Vellore district on Thursday, triggering a joint Tamil Nadu–Andhra Pradesh investigation. The carcasses were located in Bhaimala, a private forest abutting the Kondapalli Reserved Forest and close to the Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary, an interstate elephant corridor.

Authorities say field staff on routine patrol detected "two old carcasses of elephant and one calf in a decayed state near a waterhole." The spot falls within Tamil Nadu's territorial limits, around 4–5 kilometres from the Andhra Pradesh border.

A special investigation team led by A. Periasamy, IFS, Chief Conservator of Forests, Villupuram, along with Dr. Sridhar, Forest Veterinary Officer at the Arignar Anna Zoological Park, has rushed to the location for a detailed examination. A forensic team from the Advanced Institute for Wildlife Conservation (AIWC) is also assisting in the collection of samples to determine the cause of death.

Given the interstate movement of elephant herds in the region, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests of Andhra Pradesh has deputed officers from the Chittoor division to join the probe. "All possible samples will be collected and analysed so that the reason for death is ascertained," the department said.

Local cattle herders from the Sadhagur hill village first spotted the carcasses — one in a waterbody and two on the adjoining bank — and alerted forest authorities. Soon, around 60 Tamil Nadu forest personnel and 13 officers from Andhra Pradesh reached the spot for inspection.

The deaths have raised serious concerns because the region has witnessed a cluster of elephant fatalities in recent weeks. Three more elephants reportedly died in another part of the Vellore forest range recently, taking the total to six elephant deaths within the last two-and-a-half months. Locals allege inadequate monitoring in the terrain, though forest officials say a thorough scientific investigation is underway.

With the cause of the latest deaths still unclear, the joint team is expected to submit preliminary findings after forensic and post-mortem analyses are completed. The forest department has assured strict action if foul play is established.