Injured wild tusker Bahubali to get treatment through medicated feed

Coimbatore’s beloved wild tusker Bahubali, known for his majestic stature and remarkably gentle temperament, has sustained injuries following a territorial clash with another wild elephant. The conflict, which took place in the Mettupalayam forest range of the Coimbatore forest division, left the tusker with a deep wound near his tail.

Despite being in visible discomfort, the 45-year-old elephant – officially logged as MP20T1 in forest records – continues to traverse his usual routes across the Mettupalayam and Sirumugai forest ranges, occasionally wandering into nearby agricultural lands under the cover of darkness. The injury came to light two days ago when forest guards were guiding the elephant away from Vedar Colony, after which a medical assessment was quickly arranged.

Following an evaluation by Dr K Vijayaraghavan, a veterinary assistant surgeon at the Pethikuttai Wildlife Transit and Treatment Centre, the forest department opted against tranquilising the elephant for direct clinical treatment. Instead, they have adopted a hands-off approach to minimise stress for the animal. Dr Vijayaraghavan has prescribed a regimen of painkillers and immunity-boosting supplements to aid his recovery.

To administer the treatment, forest officers are crushing the medicines and mixing them into large, nutritious ragi (finger millet) balls. These medicated feed balls are then wrapped in banana leaves and placed strategically along the paths Bahubali is known to frequent. Officials confirmed that the elephant has been consuming the treated feed, and they expect his health to improve significantly over the coming days as the treatment continues.