A young elephant calf being saved from a water trench with the help of an excavator.
In Tamil Nadu, India, a four-year-old male calf was successfully rescued and reunited with its herd on the same day after falling into a water trench last Friday.
The villagers observed the herd of elephants roaming through their agricultural lands, feasting on and damaging crops. One villager explained, “After eating to their heart’s content, the elephants went to the water tank to drink. That is when the incident happened.”
A forest ranger team, informed about the situation, attempted to guide the elephants back to the reserve forest area using firecrackers. However, during the commotion, the youngest elephant fell into the water tank and was unable to climb out, trumpeting in distress.
The rescue team, moved by the calf’s predicament, employed an excavator to save it. A forest ranger explained, “The water tank was constructed by a private firm that owned the agricultural land. The tank was built for wild animals as a watering hole, and the private firm had staff in charge of filling it daily.”
He further stated, “Before initiating the rescue mission, we scared away the older elephants with firecrackers and then used an earthmover to break open the water tank. The four-year-old calf was rescued and reunited with its family.”
‘After eating to their heart’s content, the elephants went to the water tank to drink. That is when the incident happened,’ said a villager.