COIMBATORE: Clockwork precision and deft handling helped Coimbatore forest officials rescue an elephant calf after a five hour-long rescue operation from a 50-foot-deep dry well at Kovanur in Periyanacikenpalayam forest range on Thursday afternoon. After getting first-aid, the little jumbo headed straight to the forest amid applause from NGO volunteers and local villagers, who stayed put for over five hours while the officials carried out the arduous and risky rescue operation.
If there were any nerves, the officials did not show signs of it as the first round of the operation was ably managed by K Asokan, veterinarian of Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR), who administered a tranquilizer shot that sedated the little one around 10.15 am – nearly 30 hours after it fell into the well. E Vijayaragavan, veterinarian of Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) assisted Asokan.
An hour later, when the effects of the tranquilizer started kicking in, four forest staff were lowered into the well. They deftly tied belts around the animal’s chest and stomach – a risky operation that could have cost the pachyderm its life. Experts say lifting an elephant using a rope is a difficult task, as pachyderms do not have pleural space. Any kind of pressure on the chest and sternum for more than 10-15 minutes can lead to suffocation, and death. Hence, placing the ropes deftly without putting the elephant’s life at risk was an arduous task. Moreover, exact placement of rope and shifting weight to stomach too was very crucial.
The sedative – Xylazine – was used to induce sleep, said the vets. The precaution was taken as there was a crowd of by-standers and any loud noise could have disturbed the jumbo to disastrous consequences. LCS Srikanth, assistant conservator of forest, said that forest protection squad was also present. “The forest staff put their life at risk. Were it not for them, the operation would have been very difficult. Had the elephant made any movement, their life would have been put in danger,” he said.
According to S Ramasubramanian, District Forest Officer, Coimbatore, “Though the animal fell into a 50-foot-deep well, the animal seems not to have suffered an internal haemorrhage. After bring the little one out, both veterinarians applied ointment to the bruises on its forehead. We also administrated injections of vitamins, pain killer and long acting antibiotic. The combination drugs would have effect for at least three more days.” Singling out fire and rescue service department for showering praise, he said, “They helped us by deftly lowering forest staff inside the well using a rope.
They were at the ready to rescue the staff, in case there was an attack. However, the animal cooperated with us,” he said. Stating that the animal showed no sign of external injury, he said that the pachyderm went straight into the forest. “A team has been formed to monitor it. It will get reunited with its herd soon,” he hoped
I Anwardeen, Chief Conservator of Forests, Coimbatore Forest Circle, appreciated the staff for going inside the well and putting their lives on the line for conserving animals. He hailed them as the real life heroes.
The animal had fallen into a dry well on Soundararajan’s, a farmer, land in the early hours of Wednesday. The animal was part of a six-elephant herd traversing through the area. The rescue operation commenced on Thursday early morning and was completed within five hours around 11.40 am.