Pregnant elephant is killed after eating a pineapple filled with a firecracker that exploded in her mouth after locals fed it to her in India

  • The pregnant elephant died last week in the Velliyar River in northern Kerala   
  • Wild elephant had left the forest to forage and headed towards a village for food
  • The villagers handed her a pineapple stuffed with a firecracker and it exploded   
  • The firework went off in her mouth, injuring her jaw and tongue, leaving her unable to eat

A pregnant elephant died after eating a pineapple filled with a firecracker that exploded in her mouth when locals fed it to her in India.  

Forest officer Mohan Krishnan said the soon-to-be mother elephant died some days after the explosion, standing up in a river in northern Kerala's Malappuram district. 

The wild elephant left the forest to forage and approached a nearby village searching for food, where the locals offered her the tampered fruit.  

'She trusted everyone,' Krishnan wrote as he detailed the incident on Facebook.  

'When the pineapple she ate exploded, she must have been shocked, not thinking about herself, but about the child she was going to give birth to in 18 to 20 months.' 

Images of the elephant standing in the Velliyar River with her trunk and wounded mouth submerged under the surface prompted international outcry

The wounds around the elephant's mouth are partially visible as she stands in the Velliyar River in northern Kerala last Wednesday

A man has been arrested over the death of a pregnant elephant (pictured) who was killed after eating food laced with firecrackers in India

The wild elephant left the forest to forage and approached a nearby village searching for food, where the locals offered her the tampered fruit. (The elephant standing in the Velliyar River in Kerala last week, where she later died)

The explosion ripped through the elephant's mouth, badly damaging her tongue and jaw, leaving her unable to eat. 

Krishnan, who was part of the initial response team to help the injured creature, said she didn't trample homes as she ran through the village in agony. 

'This is why I said, she is full of goodness,' he said. 

Images show the elephant standing in the Velliyar River with her trunk and wounded mouth submerged under the surface. 

It was likely she was trying to prevent flies and bugs from flying into the cuts, the forest officer said. 

Officials brought two other elephants to the river in an attempt to entice her from the water but, according to Krishnan, she had come to the river to die. 

'I think she had a sixth sense. She didn't let us do anything,' he wrote. 

A postmortem on the elephant (pictured in the river) showed that she was around 15 years old but days of starvation likely left her looking significantly smaller

The forest officer said the elephant came to the river to submerge her injuries so flies and other insects wouldn't be attracted to the wounds. (The elephant standing in the Velliyar River in Kerala last week, where she later died)

She died last Wednesday at 4pm while standing in the Velliyar River. 

'She needs to be given the farewell she deserves,' Krishnan said, lamenting the elephant's death. 'For that, we took [her] inside the forest in a lorry. 

'She lay there on firewood, in the land she played and grew up. The doctor who did her post-mortem told me that she was not alone.' 

'I could sense his sadness though the expression on his face was not visible due to his mask. We cremated her in a pyre there. We bowed before her and paid our last respects,' the forest officer added.    

Between 2014-15 and 2018-19, 510 elephants were killed in India in incidents of electrocution, train accidents, poaching and poisoning, according to IndianExpress.

 

The death of a gentle giant: Young elephant dies after being shot by a hunter despite two-day battle to save him when he was found badly wounded in Thailand

This is the heartbreaking moment a young elephant collapsed and died in agony after being shot multiple times in Thailand

The five-year-old Asian elephant was found suffering at least five gunshot wounds on the outskirts of Kui Buri National Park, in the south of the country, on May 29. He had been shot in the shoulder, waist, hip and leg.

Medics tried to save the animal by washing and plugging the wounds with gauze, administering antibiotics, then hoisting him up using a winch so that he could eat.

A five-year-old elephant collapsed and died in agony despite medic's attempts to save it after it was found suffering gunshot wounds on farmland in southern Thailand

A five-year-old elephant collapsed and died in agony despite medic's attempts to save it after it was found suffering gunshot wounds on farmland in southern Thailand

Police say the elephant had been shot at least five times, probably with a shotgun, and had two piece of metal lodged inside its body - one of which ruptured its large intestine

Police say the elephant had been shot at least five times, probably with a shotgun, and had two piece of metal lodged inside its body - one of which ruptured its large intestine

Medics used IV drips inserted into the back of the elephant's ear to administer food and antibiotics in an attempt to revive him

Medics used IV drips inserted into the back of the elephant's ear to administer food and antibiotics in an attempt to revive him

Video captured the elephant chewing on palm fronds and green bananas while doctors stood around assessing his progress.

But his condition slowly deteriorated and he eventually collapsed, writhing in pain.

Medics were filmed giving him painkillers and inserting drips into his ear to give him antibiotics and food, but they could not save him.

The elephant eventually died on March 31, two days after he was found.

Scans and tests have since shown at least two metal objects lodged in his body, local station INN News reports, one of which ruptured his large intestine.

He was also suffering from parasitic worms which had infected his liver and stomach, causing him to be emaciated.

Medics spent two days treating the animal, disinfecting and plugging its wounds with gauze and using a winch to pull it upright so it could eat (pictured)

Medics spent two days treating the animal, disinfecting and plugging its wounds with gauze and using a winch to pull it upright so it could eat (pictured)

Video captured the badly-emaciated animal chewing on palm fronds and green bananas before collapsing from exhaustion

Video captured the badly-emaciated animal chewing on palm fronds and green bananas before collapsing from exhaustion

Tyres were placed around the elephant to cushion its fall in case it tumbled over, while police and medics were stationed on the farm where it was found in order to watch over him

Tyres were placed around the elephant to cushion its fall in case it tumbled over, while police and medics were stationed on the farm where it was found in order to watch over him

Medics examine a large wound next to the elephant's tail where they believe he was shot. Investigators have yet to establish how long the elephant was walking around wounded for being being found

Medics examine a large wound next to the elephant's tail where they believe he was shot. Investigators have yet to establish how long the elephant was walking around wounded for being being found

The elephant was found around half a mile outside a national park where the animals are allowed to roam freely.

Police believe the young male - driven by hunger - wandered out of the park and into a jackfruit farm, where he was shot.  

National Park director Pichai Watcharapongpaibul said: 'The elephant was seriously exhausted and could not stand up or move so he was treated at the scene and monitored closely. 

'Unfortunately he suddenly became weaker and died. 

'We don't know how long the bullets had been inside the elephant's body or what type of gun they came from as an autopsy must be performed.'

He said National Park staff will start an investigation to find the hunter who shot the elephant, which is believed to have been in retribution for damaging farm land.

Police use a metal detector in an attempt to find any bullets or pellets lodged in the animal's body. They found at least two before the elephant died

Police use a metal detector in an attempt to find any bullets or pellets lodged in the animal's body. They found at least two before the elephant died

As well as being shot, investigators say the elephant was infected by parasites and worms which led to it becoming emaciated

As well as being shot, investigators say the elephant was infected by parasites and worms which led to it becoming emaciated

Medics used IV drips to pump antibiotics and painkillers into the animal's system in an attempt to save him, but he died after a two-day battle. An investigation has been launched

Medics used IV drips to pump antibiotics and painkillers into the animal's system in an attempt to save him, but he died after a two-day battle. An investigation has been launched

He added: 'Initially, we will ask the locals living nearby whether they have seen this elephant before or if anybody was angered by the elephants.'

Hunting wild elephants has been illegal in Thailand since 1992. 

Anyone caught hunting or killing the animals can be fined up to £1,000 or jailed for four years.

There are thought to be 320 Asian elephants living wild in the park, which covers 374 square miles and stretches across the border into neighbouring Myanmar.

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