The Department of Wildlife Conservation is seeking a court order to conduct a post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death of Kavantissa, one of Sri Lanka’s largest and tallest tuskers.
According to reports, a team including experts from the University of Peradeniya will examine the elephant’s remains to establish the precise cause of death.
Kavantissa died on Friday (October 16) while receiving treatment for severe injuries sustained in a gunshot attack.
The tusker was found lying in a paddy field in the Siyambalangamuwa wildlife zone on Friday morning, approximately two kilometres from the location where it had received treatment the previous day.
Specialist veterinary teams from the Department of Wildlife Conservation had been providing round-the-clock care in an effort to save the elephant.
Although the gunshot wound on its front right leg had shown signs of healing, Kavantissa’s condition reportedly deteriorated due to dehydration after it stopped eating, ultimately leading to its death.
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