Mother elephant shot by poachers dies: Baby rejoins the herd

The female elephant which was treated by Wildlife officials for gunshot wounds in Thanamalwila, had died on 4 April.

Wildlife officials began treating the mother elephant which had sustained over eight gunshot wounds in Thanamalwila on, 2 April.

According to reliable sources, the injured female elephant was spotted wandering in the area with its baby for some time before it was treated by Wildlife officials.

Wildlife Resources Conservation Minister, Wijith Wijayamuni Zoysa, told Ceylon Today that the mother elephant had died and that her baby had rejoined the herd.

"I believe the mother elephant was shot by poachers with the intention of taking her baby. When I first heard that this animal was injured I informed the Wildlife officials but due to certain shortcomings they didn't come. I then got the help of some environmentalists attached to NGOs," Zoysa said.

He added that the mother elephant was very weak by the time she was being treated and that he had instructed the officials to keep a close eye on the baby elephant in case the mother died.

"The female elephant is believed to be over 45 years of age. She had lost weight and was very weak due to her injuries. The baby elephant is about one year old," Wildlife officials said.

They noted that the gunshot wounds on the back of the animal were recent ones and that even though they hoped the animal would respond to the treatment, it had died.

Zoysa said he had instructed Wildlife officials to take the baby if the mother elephant died but that the baby had rejoined the herd.

Wildlife officials say the herd will not reject the animal and will not harm it either.

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