Guwahati, Sept 19: Forest officials and wildlife activists successfully rescued a two-month-old elephant calf and reunited it with its herd in the dense forests of Nazirating, eastern Assam’s Digboi.
Residents of the Bogapani tea garden first spotted the calf alone on the evening of September 15. The animal had fallen into a deep plantation drain in Section 4 of McLeod Russel’s Bogapani tea estate and remained stranded, crying for hours in the harsh terrain.
Responding promptly, the rescue team retrieved the calf on September 16 at around 9:30 am and provided immediate care before initiating efforts to locate its mother. Locals quickly alerted the Digboi Forest Department and experts from the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI).
The operation was led by forester Nitesh Das of the Digboi Forest Division, assisted by Dr Mehedi Hassan from WTI, and supported by members of the Wildlife Care Foundation and Green Buds Society. The team transported the calf in a rescue van to Nazirating Forest, where its herd was last sighted.
“We brought the calf close to its mother’s location in the jungle and gave it a gentle push from about 15 meters away. Initially, we didn’t see the herd, but moments after stepping back, we heard a trumpet. The elephants rushed toward the calf. Though weak from the ordeal, the calf was fit and alert when it finally rejoined the herd,” a forest official said.
Expressing joy, the official added, “We are happy that the calf was reunited with its family. It’s a wonderful feeling for all of us who worked together across departments to make this possible.”
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