Guwahati: A 53-year-old captive female elephant rescued after being swept nearly 55km downstream in the swollen Dikhow river from Nagaland into Assam remains critical, with veterinarians saying she is battling severe physical stress after the ordeal.Forest officials said the elephant, rescued in Sivasagar district, was already suffering from a leg deformity that left her too weak to move properly even before she was washed away in the floods.“The elephant appears to have an old defect in one of its legs. She balances herself with great difficulty. She has become much weaker after being washed away in the flood,” Bihubor forest beat officer Tapan Jyoti Gogoi told TOI on Saturday.
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He added that the elephant’s condition deteriorated further after she swallowed a large quantity of floodwater while being swept downstream.The forest department has taken the elephant into its custody, and a team of veterinarians is providing treatment.The department has launched an investigation to establish the elephant’s identity and ownership by scanning the microchip implanted in its body. “Every captive elephant has a microchip containing its complete identification details. We are in the investigation process where the microchip will be read to verify its actual identity and ownership. A chip reader will be required for the purpose,” Gogoi said.“Once we retrieve the data, we will know the official records, including the actual owner,” he added.A man from Sivasagar has claimed ownership. He told forest officials that she was sent to Nagaland for grazing when she was swept away. “We are yet to verify the authenticity of his claim. A case has been registered, and the matter is under investigation,” Gogoi said.Transporting captive elephants across state borders without authorisation is an offence under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The Centre has also notified the Captive Elephant (Transfer or Transport) Rules, 2024, to regulate the movement of captive elephants within and between states.“The actual facts will emerge only after the investigation is completed,” Gogoi said.
