Lakhimpur Kheri, Apr 20 (IANS): The carcass of a wild female elephant has been found in the Dudhwa National Park (DNP).

Field director, Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, B. Prabhakar said that while patrolling in south Sonaripur range on Wednesday, the field officials sighted the carcass.

The Sonaripur range officer informed Deputy Director DNP Rengaraju T who along with veterinary doctors inspected the carcass of the elephant.

Prabhakar added that as per standard operating procedure (SOP) fixed by NTCA, the post-mortem of the carcass was conducted by a panel of three veterinary doctors, Dr Daya Shankar from Dudhwa, Dr Deepak Verma from Katarniaghat wildlife sanctuary and Dr Babu Nigam from Suda veterinary hospital, in the presence of deputy director, Dudhwa and other designated officials.

He added that the post-mortem examination by the panel described "infection in the uterus caused by putrefied foetus inside" as the cause of the death.

He added that the deceased female elephant was estimated to be around 20 years of age.

Dudhwa is home to a number of wild tuskers apart from about two dozen camp elephants.

Elephants from neighbouring Nepal also regularly visit Dudhwa forests through the corridors connecting the DNP with Nepal forests.