Ivory missing from eight dead wild elephants of Malayattoor, Vazhachal forests of Kerala

Of the 14 wild elephants found dead in Malayattoor and Vazhachal forest divisions of Kerala last year, eight were found missing from their carcasses with tusks and tusks (female elephant’s tusks).

The Special Investigation Team investigating “monsoon-related elephant deaths in Malayattoor and Vazhachal Forest Districts” between 6 August and 31 August 2025 reported loss of ivory and rump from the carcasses.

The report, prepared by a team led by DK Vinod Kumar, Chief Conservator of High Range Circle Forests, Kottayam, revealed that five female carcasses had no rump, while three male carcasses had no ivory. It was also found that the ivory was present only in two males and the butt in two females.

The report stated that ivory was seized from two carcasses found in Kandanpara and Manikandanchal on August 6 and 7, 2025. The report stated that in the other three cases, the sex of the animals could not be determined because the carcasses were in an advanced stage of decomposition.

However, the SIT ruled out “intentional or accidental human-caused death” such as poaching, poisoning, gunshot wounds or anthropogenic intervention in elephant deaths. It was stated that poaching was not considered the cause of death because examination of the tusk sockets found “no evidence of forcible removal” of ivory in the carcasses.

The missing ivory/tusk case assumes prominence following mass poaching of wild tusks in the Malayattoor forest district a decade ago. The poachers later shot 16 females in the area.

Concluding that “traumatic injuries caused by falls from a height while navigating steep river banks and crossing points during high water flow killed most of the animals,” the panel recommended that the teeth be removed and stored safely, the carcass destroyed by deep burial or natural cleaning, and the skulls preserved for future verification.

Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Warden of Wildlife (CWW) P. Pugazhendi sought an explanation from the Chief Conservator of Forests of Central Circle on the “failure to recover the tusk/tusks of the male elephant” found dead in the Kuttampuzha Range of Malayattoor Forest Division on August 30, 2025.

CWW investigated “the specific reasons why the tusks/rump could not be recovered from the carcass” and “whether a case of wildlife crime had been recorded in connection with the incident.”

In addition, details of the actions taken by field officers immediately after the body was detected, regarding the “case number, registration date and current status of the investigation” were also investigated.

Responding to the developments, P. Karthik, Regional Forest Officer, Malayattoor Forest Division, said that salvaging the ivory was not possible in all cases as the land where the carcasses were found was inaccessible.

There is a possibility that the teeth may be washed downstream by the strong current or become stuck in rock crevices. Previous searches in the area yielded no results. The official added that further searches would be possible only when the water level drops.