Coimbatore: In a risky operation, forest field staff with the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) on Friday rescued an elephant calf that fell into the Parambikulam-Aliyar Project (PAP) contour canal in Pollachi forest range and reunited it with its mother.
According to a forester, they were alerted about the incident around 5pm on Friday. “When we reached the spot, we found the calf, which had slipped and fell into the canal, with its mother elephant.The calf was stuck in the canal and unable to come out. We waited for the mother to move away from the calf to commence the rescue operation. As soon as the mother elephant moved away, we got into the canal, rescued the calf and immediately reunited it with its mother.”
Forest department had taken video of the rescue operation. Supriya Sahu, additional chief secretary, environment, climate change and forests, posted the videos on X with a caption that read: “Our hearts are melting with joy to see the elephant mother raising her trunk to thank our foresters after they rescued and united a very young baby elephant with the mother.”
She said the mother elephant had tried to rescue its calf, but the young one was unable to come out owing to the strong water current.
She also applauded the team for their exceptional efforts, which led to a successful operation. She also appreciated ATR field director S Ramasubramanian, deputy director K Bhargava Teja, forest range officer V Pugalenthi, forester Thilakar, forest guards Saravanan, Vellingiri and Chinnathan, forest watchers Murali and Rasu, and anti-poaching watchers Balu, Nagaraj and Mahesh for their efforts.
According to a forester, they were alerted about the incident around 5pm on Friday. “When we reached the spot, we found the calf, which had slipped and fell into the canal, with its mother elephant.The calf was stuck in the canal and unable to come out. We waited for the mother to move away from the calf to commence the rescue operation. As soon as the mother elephant moved away, we got into the canal, rescued the calf and immediately reunited it with its mother.”
Forest department had taken video of the rescue operation. Supriya Sahu, additional chief secretary, environment, climate change and forests, posted the videos on X with a caption that read: “Our hearts are melting with joy to see the elephant mother raising her trunk to thank our foresters after they rescued and united a very young baby elephant with the mother.”
She said the mother elephant had tried to rescue its calf, but the young one was unable to come out owing to the strong water current.
She also applauded the team for their exceptional efforts, which led to a successful operation. She also appreciated ATR field director S Ramasubramanian, deputy director K Bhargava Teja, forest range officer V Pugalenthi, forester Thilakar, forest guards Saravanan, Vellingiri and Chinnathan, forest watchers Murali and Rasu, and anti-poaching watchers Balu, Nagaraj and Mahesh for their efforts.