Chennai, Oct 27 (IANS): Tamil Nadu Forest Department has commenced a probe after the carcass of a male elephant aged around 26 years was recovered on October 16 without its right tusk from the Thadagam forest in Coimbatore forest range.

In another incident, the carcass of a female elephant was recovered on October 23 in the forest just 50 meters from the main road connecting Anakati.

A senior officer of the Tamil Nadu forest department while speaking to IANS said, "The forest department has commenced a probe into the death of male elephant with right tusk missing and also into the carcass of female elephant which was found in the forest near the Anakatti main road in Coimbatore forest range."

Anaikatti is an important elephant corridor connecting Manarcaud in Kerala and Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve in Erode.

T.K. Ashok Kumar, the forest officer while speaking to the mediapersons said that he has already sought explanation from forester, forest watcher, and a forest guard concerned about the missing tusk and also the recovery of a female elephant carcass after around 45 days of its death.

The forest department officers told IANS that they were still clueless about the missing right tusk of the deceased elephant.