Jumbo calf rescued after 7-hour battle from well

The calf, which was part of a herd of 35, had slipped into a 20-foot-deep dry well at a farm in a village near Rayakottai in Krishnagiri district. Early in the morning, locals heard the trumpeting of elephants near the village. When they hurried to the spot, they found a herd of jumbos standing near a well. 

Suspecting a problem, they informed the forest authorities, who arrived at the spot and fired crackers to drive away the herd. When they peeped into the well, they found a calf inside.  

As the calf had to be fed, the forest department team, led by Krishnagiri DFO Deepak, dropped fruits, sugarcane and coconut leaves into the well.  Then a team of forest personnel went down the well with a plan to pull out the elephant with the help of a rope. As the calf failed to co-operate, the staff spread a net on the ground of the well and managed to bring the baby elephant into it. Its legs were tied to prevent it from jumping out while it was being lifted.

Villagers support played a major role in the rescue operations as they helped the forest department in pulling out the net out of the well. The jumbo, which had slipped into the well around 4.30 am, was finally rescued at 11 am. 

Veterinarians examined the calf and found it to be in good health. The calf, which was reluctant to go back into the jungle, was later sent into the Udedurgam reserve forest. Officials said that the baby elephant would soon rejoin its herd. 

Meanwhile, villagers urged the forest department to take measures to prevent wild elephants’ intrusion into villages in search of food and water.