After as many as nine attempts to reunite an abandoned elephant calf with a herd over the last few days, the intended outcome remained elusive for the Forest Department till Friday evening.
During the course of the day, elephant guards from Kozhikamuthi Elephant Camp in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve tried in vain to unite the calf with its mother at Attukkal near Thondamuthur.
In a subsequent attempt to unite the calf with another herd at Yanaimedu near Marudhamalai, it had come running back to the field staff as a tusker had charged at the calf and the field staff as well, Forest Department sources said.
The mother elephant that had returned to the forest earlier this week after being treated successfully by the Forest Department for a bout of illness, has continuously been showing reluctance in accepting the calf. The mother elephant simply did not acknowledge the presence of its calf, an official involved in the attempts said.
The calf had been with the mother elephant while under treatment for the initial days, and was dependent on the mother’s milk for nutrition even as the adult elephant was being provided with nutritious diet.
The Forest field staff are still continuing their attempts.
The calf is being fed with lactogen, tender coconut, fruits and glucose and its health was under continuous watch by a team of Forest veterinarians.
Instructions are awaited from the higher authorities on further course of action.
The line of thinking on the situation by the Forest department field staff is that taking the calf to the Kozhikamuthi Elephant Camp at Top Slip remains the only other option.
Published - June 07, 2024 08:37 pm IST
