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The heartbreaking story of a sick elephant and her calf in Tamil Nadu

The heartbreaking story of an ailing elephant and her calf in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu forest officers were unable to save a sick elephant mother but successfully united her calf with a new herd at the Sathyamangalam range.

Despite tireless efforts of four experienced veterinarians the mother elephant couldn’t survive. (Photo: Supriya Sahu/X)

Ashmita Saha
New Delhi,UPDATED: Apr 12, 2024 16:50 IST

In Short
Tamil Nadu foresters noticed an ailing female elephant with her calf
Despite efforts, they were unable to save the mother elephant
The team successfully integrated the calf with a nearby elephant herd
IAS officer Supriya Sahu, on April 12, shared a heartbreaking story of an ailing elephant who was found in a weakened state. She was accompanied by her 2-year-old calf. Upon noticing her, Tamil Nadu forest officers sprang into action to save her, but she died. And, the calf was united with another elephant herd.

In her post on X, she said that despite the tireless efforts of four experienced veterinarians who worked throughout the day and night, they were unable to save the mother elephant, leaving the forest team at the Sathyamangalam range devastated.

However, the forest officers’ focus swiftly shifted to ensuring the well-being of the orphaned elephant calf. Recognising the importance of uniting her with a herd for her survival in the wild, the team located a nearby elephant herd and facilitated her unification.

Currently, the elephant calf appears to have been accepted by the herd and is seen moving closely with her foster mother.

However, she also mentioned, "we need to watch this for some time to see if the calf is accepted." To confirm this, the ground team is now vigilant, and using thermal drone cameras and experienced elephant trackers to monitor the calf’s movement closely.

"We will do everything to ensure the well-being of the young one," Supriya Sahu wrote in her post.