Limitations in detecting foetus of wild jumbos, spl scanners unavailable: Vets

WILDLIFE veterinarians here are upset about the damning allegations following the death of a sick and pregnant female wild elephant in the Maruthamalai foothills near Coimbatore last month.

- S SENTHIL KUMAR @ Coimbatore

A four-member team of experienced forest vets who were involved in its treatment were widely panned online by animal lovers for their failure in detecting its pregnancy beforehand and especially when it was under their care for days before its death.

The vets claimed limitations in detecting the foetus of a wild elephant and that too without appropriate scanners.

As reported earlier the pregnancy came to light only during the postmortem on May 21. This disconcerting discovery gave rise to widespread online condemnation of the veterinarians involved as the animal had been treated for four days since May 17 when it was found unable to move as its calf loitered around it, as was seen in a widely shared photograph.

Animal lovers were also aghast and suspected medical oversight.