Jumbo calf saved from trough in Kovai, reunited with herd

A portion of the tank was demolished to make way for the one-year-old jumbo to come out. Late on Monday, the Forest Department received information from villagers about a herd of nine elephants trumpeting near a trough in Perianaickenpalayam forest range. They had come to consume water stored in the tank.  

The staff rushed to the spot and drove away the elephant herd by firing crackers before commencing the rescue operations. As several attempts to take out the jumbo calf out using machineries failed, the Forest Department decided to demolish a portion of the five feet deep tank for the animal to walk out.

“It took more than an hour to rescue the elephant calf. Till then, the herd of elephants refused to move away and stood watching from a little distance away in the forest area. On coming out, the jumbo calf too ran towards its herd and joined them,” said an official.  

On Tuesday morning, the Forest Department staff spotted the calf wandering around with its herd in the same forest area.