It has been reported that in the small hours of this morning, the natives of the Nayyakanpalayam forest range, Periyanaickenpalayam division were awakened by loud cries of a female elephant. From a distance, it looked like the female elephant was caught in the slush. Alert natives of this region informed the officials of the forest department who rushed to this location immediately.
The forest officials were in for a shock when they discovered that this female elephant was not caught in slush of mud but learnt that something was wrong with this elephant’s health which is why this female elephant reportedly was seen motionless. An adult elephant and a calf was also spotted besides this ill elephant.
It was later found that the calf standing beside the ill elephant was it's calf. Unaware of it's mother's ill health, the calf was trying to suck milk from it's mother. People who witnessed the sight remarked it as 'very disturbing', as the calf was very restless and kept on waking it's ill mother in tears.
Officials from the forest department and the veterinarian became emotional when they discovered the inability of the mother to lactate it's calf. What added to the worry of the veterinarian and the officials from forest department is the fact that a herd of elephants were guarding this female elephant and hindering their work of administering treatment. This sources point out made it difficult for the officials from forest department and the veterinarian to treat this female elephant. However, the herd of elephants was successfully chased into the forest and the team began treating this ill elephant.
It has also been reported that this female elephant suffered an infection that is caused due to intestinal worms and about 50 bottles of saline fluid among other medications including antibiotics was used to treat this ill elephant. All their efforts paid off as this elephant responded well to the treatment. It was back on its feet and it has been reported that it has re-joined with it's calf and began lactating it's little one. The officials affirmed that the female elephant and its calf were back into the forest.
Veterinarian Dr Manoharan and Palanirajan forest ranger were involved in treating this elephant.
