Assam elephant Mangal Singh undergoes critical dental procedure after poachers hack off tusks

A 16yearold captive elephant named Mangal Singh has undergone a specialised dental procedure in Margherita Assam months after poachers allegedly hacked off both his tusks near the roots leaving the animal with severe injuries and exposed pulp cavitiesThe procedure was carried out on Wednesday by a joint veterinary team led by Dr Bhaskar Choudhury of the Wildlife Trust of India WTIThe intervention was necessitated by persistent infection in the exposed pulp cavities following the brutal attackMangal Singh was attacked in AprilThe incident took place in April in the Dhulijan forest area of Lakhipathar in Digboi Mangal Singhs cries reportedly alerted locals who informed the Digboi Forest Department about the attackGovernment veterinary teams subsequently began emergency treatmentDr Mehedi Hassan veterinary surgeon at WTI said the elephant was in critical condition in the days following the attack and suffered severe bleedingAs both tusks had been cut close to the roots the pulp cavities were exposed resulting in persistent infection despite regular treatment and monitoringPartial pulpotomy performed to treat infectionWith the risk of further infection continuing veterinary experts opted for a partial pulpotomy a specialised procedure aimed at treating the affected pulp and closing the exposed cavitiesThe procedure was conducted in Margherita by a multidisciplinary veterinary team It included Dr Bhupen Sarma retired professor in the Department of Surgery and Radiology and an expert in elephant anaesthesia a team of orthodontic specialists from Tinsukia led by Dr Abhishek Ojha senior veterinarians from the Animal Husbandry Department Dr Rabi Shankar Choudhury and Dr Bishwajit Barua and Dr Mehedi Hassan of WTITreatment carried out in familiar surroundingsAuthorities decided to carry out the treatment in Mangal Singhs familiar surroundings rather than transport him elsewhereAccording to the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation CWRC team the captiveborn elephant has strong social bonds with his caregivers and surroundings Moving him to an unfamiliar location could have caused additional stress and complicationsSeven days of postoperative care plannedRohini Kumar Das Divisional Forest Officer DFO Digboi said local veterinarians with experience in treating elephants had been attending to Mangal Singh over the past few monthsHowever the exposed pulp cavities in both tusks required specialised closure through a partial pulpotomyldquoThe procedure was successfully initiated today on Thursday and we will be ensuring postoperative care for the next seven daysrdquo Das saidWTI calls for stronger protection of elephantsDr Bhaskar Choudhury CWRC Centre Manager and lead veterinarian at WTI described the incident as a disturbing example of the cruelty faced by elephants in wildlife crime casesHe said the circumstances surrounding the loss of Mangal Singhs tusks were deeply concerning and highlighted the need for stronger protection of elephants including those under private ownershipThe immediate priority he added is to ensure that the elephant receives appropriate treatment and recovers from his injuriesWildlife crime highlights ivoryrelated concernsJose Louies CEO of WTI said the case demonstrates the serious physical and psychological consequences of illegal ivoryrelated activitiesHe stressed the need for continued vigilance stronger protection measures and swift action against wildlife criminalsMangal Singh is owned by an individual in Margherita Following the attack forest officials and veterinary teams have continued to monitor his conditionCWRC continues rescue and rehabilitation workThe Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation CWRC located near Kaziranga National Park is jointly run by the Assam Forest Department Wildlife Trust of India and IFAWThe centre works on wildlife rescue rehabilitation and veterinary care particularly for animals requiring specialised intervention