DEHRADUN: In an extraordinary display of community solidarity, a herd of elephants in Uttarakhand's Pauri district on Tuesday evening staged a dramatic, coordinated rescue to save a young calf swept away by the fierce currents of the Khoh River.
The astonishing event, witnessed by awe-struck locals, underscored the deep bonds and ancient social structures within elephant communities, often contrasting with the divisions seen in human society.
The incident unfolded in the Dugadda Range of the Lansdowne Forest Division. As dusk settled, a herd of elephants ventured into the Khoh River near the Fifth Mile mark to quench their thirst. Amidst the strong flow, a young calf lost its footing and was swiftly carried downstream by the raging torrent.
Realising its life was in peril, the frightened calf let out a frantic distress call. Within moments, the powerful cry mobilised a response that left onlookers spellbound. An initial group of seven to eight elephants immediately thundered towards the river, trumpeting loudly to signal the emergency to their companions.
"It was incredible to watch," recounted a local resident who allegedly filmed parts of the rescue on his mobile phone. "One moment there were a few elephants, and the next, the entire area was filled with their calls."
The urgent signals quickly transformed the initial group into a formidable force of 25 to 30 elephants. Without hesitation, the expanded herd plunged into the churning waters, coordinating their movements with remarkable precision.
After a tense few moments, their collective strength and determination paid off, and they successfully pulled the struggling calf from the powerful current, guiding it to safety.
Umesh Joshi, Ranger of Dugadda, confirmed the details to TNIE. "Around 6:30 pm, a herd of elephants descended into the Khoh River near Toot Gadera for water.
A small calf was swept away by the strong current. It was carried quite some distance, eventually reaching the Lalpul bridge near the Siddhabali Temple in Kotdwar," he explained. "There, the elephants worked together collectively and managed to pull the calf out of the flow."
Following the rescue, the herd, with the calf safely amidst them, moved towards the Pulinda forest. News of the dramatic event quickly spread, drawing a large crowd of curious onlookers to the spot. Forest personnel from Dugadda and Kotdwar were deployed to manage the gathering and ensure the elephants’ undisturbed passage.
Commenting on the extraordinary act, Ranganath Pandey, former Deputy Director of Gangotri National Park and a Wildlife Management gold medallist from WII, highlighted the herd’s sophisticated communication abilities.
"The range of human hearing in terms of frequency is typically considered to be from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz. Elephants have a slightly different range, typically from 1 Hz to 20,000 Hz," Pandey told TNIE. "Elephants are particularly sensitive to low-frequency sounds, often below 20 Hz, which can include rumblings and vibrations that are beyond human hearing range. This allows them to communicate over long distances and detect seismic cues."
"This remarkable ability likely played a crucial role in the swift and coordinated response, enabling the distant elephants to perceive the calf’s distress call and rally to its aid," added Pandey.