Website of the YearA pregnant wild elephant has reportedly died in Kerala, India, after being fed a pineapple filled with fireworks by a stranger.
Kerala's chief wildlife warden Surendra Kumar said the elephant's jaw was broken and she was unable to eat after the pineapple exploded in her mouth, according to the New York Post.
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The Tribune India reported that the official was certain the pineapple was meant to kill the elephant.
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Advertise with NZME.The 15-year-old elephant came into a village in a remote valley in Attappadi, a forest in south India, to forage for food.
She died some time later in a river, according to a Facebook post from heartbroken wildlife official Mohan Krishnan, who unsuccessfully tried to rescue her.
"When we saw her she was standing in the river, with her head dipped in the water," the post read.
"She had a sixth sense that she was going to die."
An autopsy later revealed that the elephant was pregnant when she died. It's still unknown who committed the violent act.
Kumar vowed he would "punish him for 'hunting' the elephant" and is said to have "directed the forest officials to nab the culprit".
The Kerala Forest Department shared on Twitter the part of the Indian constitution that directs citizens to be kind to animals.
"Article 51-A (g) of the Indian Constitution says that it shall be duty of every citizen of India to have compassion for living creatures."