The female wild elephant infected with trypanosomiasis — a vector-borne parasitic disease popularly known as sleeping sickness — died in the Bagdogra forest range area on Monday, despite efforts of foresters and animal lovers’ organisations to save its life.

“The elephant was under intensive medication for the past 22 days. But it could not survive the infection and died this (Monday) morning,” said Devesh Pandey, the divisional forest officer of Kurseong.

On February 15, foresters first spotted the seven-year-old elephant, limping
with wounds in its right foreleg and hind leg, in the Bagdogra forest.

Later, as it was found that the elephant could not even stand properly, foresters formed a team of vets to monitor its health. Last week, the animal was shifted to a safer spot in the forest under the Taipoo beat and kept in quarantine.

“It was done to prevent the spread of the infection, which is rare in this part of the state, among other animals, and also to ensure other animals did not disturb it,” said a
forest official.

The foresters also took the expertise of the Save Elephant Foundation, a nonprofit organization in Chiang
Mai, Thailand.

The foundation, which has been working for years to provide care and assistance to elephants through a multifaceted approach involving rescue and rehabilitation, responded and sent a four-member team of veterinary experts from Thailand on March 5 to assist the forest department vets.

“An attempt was also made to make the elephant stand with the help of a prosthetic limb but it didn’t work as the infection had turned acute,” the forester added.

Later on Monday, the elephant’s carcass was cremated in the forest area. The department is also monitoring other animals in the forest to find out if anyone else is similarly infected, said a source.

Leopard rescued

Foresters of the Darjeeling wildlife division on Monday rescued a male leopard from an abandoned well at the Dagapur tea estate on the northern outskirts of Siliguri.

Sources said that in the morning, residents of Damragram in the tea garden spotted the leopard in the well and informed foresters.

A team from the wildlife squad stationed in Sukna rushed to the spot.

“They tranquillised the leopard and brought it out of the well with the help of a net. After its examination by vets, it was released into the Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary,” said a forest official.