Wildlife officials failed to reunite a baby elephant with its ailing mother in Maruthamalai forest, Coimbatore. After attempts over three days, they transported the elephant to another herd on June 7.
Coimbatore: Wildlife officials encountered setbacks in their attempt to reunite a baby elephant with its mother in Maruthamalai forest, Coimbatore. After a 40-year-old elephant was found immobile and in poor health on May 30, its 4-year-old calf was seen alone nearby.
Despite treatment provided to the mother and nourishment given to the baby as it couldn’t be breastfed, the health efforts were initially hopeful.
The baby elephant stayed by its mother’s side for approximately three days. However, before the mother could recover, the baby wandered off into the forest and assimilated within a different group. The mother elephant, which responded well to treatment, was released back into the wild on June 3.
Subsequent reports indicated the baby elephant was struggling to integrate into its new surroundings and ended up in a private farm. Soon after receiving this information, forest officials rescued the elephant and tried to reintegrate it with its original mother at Attukal area. Unfortunately, this attempt failed over the next three days, as the mother refused to claim the youngster.
Ultimately, on June 7, forest officials took a different approach by taking the baby to another mother elephant in the Yanai Maduvu area of Thaliyur forest, who has two other calves.
They transported the baby in a Mahindra Jeep hoping it would assimilate with this new family.
Despite treatment provided to the mother and nourishment given to the baby as it couldn’t be breastfed, the health efforts were initially hopeful.
The baby elephant stayed by its mother’s side for approximately three days. However, before the mother could recover, the baby wandered off into the forest and assimilated within a different group. The mother elephant, which responded well to treatment, was released back into the wild on June 3.
Subsequent reports indicated the baby elephant was struggling to integrate into its new surroundings and ended up in a private farm. Soon after receiving this information, forest officials rescued the elephant and tried to reintegrate it with its original mother at Attukal area. Unfortunately, this attempt failed over the next three days, as the mother refused to claim the youngster.
Ultimately, on June 7, forest officials took a different approach by taking the baby to another mother elephant in the Yanai Maduvu area of Thaliyur forest, who has two other calves.
They transported the baby in a Mahindra Jeep hoping it would assimilate with this new family.