Separated baby Elephant shifted to Mudumalai for rehabilitation

A six-month-old baby elephant that failed to reunite with its mother after falling into a pond near Thenkanikottai in Krishnagiri district has been shifted to the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve for care and rehabilitation, forest officials said.
On December 4, a herd of elephants arrived at a water body near Thenkanikottai to drink, during which the calf slipped into the pond. The herd made repeated attempts to rescue the calf but eventually moved away, leaving it behind.
Forest personnel from the Javalagiri range rescued the calf using a poclain machine and carried out sustained efforts for more than 25 days to reunite it with its mother, but the attempts were unsuccessful.
The weakened calf was later housed at the Anchetty Forest Reserve, where it was provided milk and supplementary feed. Officials observed that the calf was undernourished and distressed due to prolonged separation. Wildlife activists also urged that the animal be shifted to a protected elephant camp for better care.
Following this, the Forest Department decided to transfer the calf to the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve. Acting on the orders of Hosur Forest Division Wildlife Warden Bakan Jagdish Sudhakar, the baby elephant was transported to the Theppakadu elephant camp under the supervision of Anchetty Forest Officer Govindan, Forest Department veterinarian Dr. Jayachandran, Forest Officer Rajamanickam and other officials.