Treatment for PT-5 elephant: Released into forest after being fitted with radio collar

PALAKKAD: The visually impaired PT-5 elephant (Palakkad Tusker 5) was tranquilised and treated with a drug. Then, it was fitted with a radio collar and sent back to the forest.

The PT-5 elephant was captured after a three-hour-long mission. The mission began at 8 am yesterday with an expert team led by Chief Veterinary Surgeon Dr. Arun Zakaria and about 100 forest department officials, police and fire brigade. The elephant, which was stationed at Manthuruthy in Malampuzha, was fired with tranquiliser twice. The expert team began its examination after the elephant fell asleep within ten minutes.

The elephant has complete vision loss in its right eye and 70 percent in its left eye. The vision loss is due to an eye injury. The elephant was fitted with a radio collar and sent to the forest after applying medicine to the eye and treating it. The elephant will be monitored for the next 20 days. An expert team of doctors will remain in the district for this. If the elephant's vision cannot be restored, further treatment will be considered, said Dr. Arun Zakaria.