Shivamogga: In a breakthrough for wildlife medicine, the recovery of a 35-year-old tusker, nicknamed Adkabadka, at Sakrebailu Elephant Camp near Shivamogga, offers a hopeful contrast to the tragic death of elephant Abhimanyu at Thithimathi in Kodagu on Sunday.Adkabadka, a 4,200 kg “dwarf” elephant, faced a life-threatening crisis after slipping in a kraal last Sept, suffering severe injuries to his front left leg and open wounds on his other limbs that left him immobile. Faced with intense criticism from environmentalists over camp conditions, foresters led by DCF (Wildlife) Prasanna Krishna Patgar and veterinarian Dr Murali Manohar launched an experimental treatment plan in Dec. He utilised fibreglass casting, a technique common in human and livestock orthopaedics but believed to be a first for elephants in India. To facilitate healing, a heavy-duty crane was deployed to hoist the elephant, allowing the team to stretch the limb for precise bandaging. Inspired by the specialised practices of an Agra-based NGO, the team fitted the elephant with custom-made leather ‘shoes’ on his other legs to distribute weight and prevent secondary stress. These medicated boots protect sensitive soles from infection while providing a stable base for recovery. “After 30 days of intensive monitoring and specialised tools, the elephant is showing remarkable stability,” Dr Muruli told TOI. The DCF added that the department consulted experts from Kerala and Uttar Pradesh before successfully implementing this local intervention. Now beginning to put weight on his injured leg, staff are optimistic that Adkabadka will achieve full recovery within a few weeks, proving that complex megafauna injuries can be managed through a blend of engineering and medical innovation. This elephant was captured last year in Sakleshpur, Hassan. Elephant dies Abhimanyu, 23, which suffered leg injuries while roaming in the forest, died on Sunday in Thithimathi Kantapura Elephant Camp. The elphant was born in the Mysuru zoo and was shifted to the elephant camp after it turned out to be a troublemaker. Abhimanyu was being trained at the camp for the past three years and was released into the forest with a mahout by forest officials to accustom it to the surroundings. When the jumbo was walking through the forest, its foot got stuck in a hole and it injured itself. Abhimanyu received treatment for the past nine months and appeared to be recovering. However, it succumbed on Sunday. The jumbo was buried at the elephant camp on Monday. Nagarahole tiger reserve director A Seema, ACF Lakshmikanth, RFO Devaraju, and Veterinary Officer Dr Bhavishit Kumar were present.
