COIMBATORE: The forest department staff are continuing their efforts to reunite the 10-month-old calf elephant with its mother at the Sirumugai Forest Range in Coimbatore Forest Division. Despite extensive searches by teams attached to the Sirumugai, Vilamundi, Kil Kotagiri, and Mettupalayam forest ranges, with the help of drones, they were unable to find the mother.
“We have noticed a lone tusker at different parts of the Sirumugai forest. However, we haven’t found the mother elephant since May 26. Moreover, we are reluctant to leave the calf elephant with the tusker, as it may attack the calf any time,” a forest staff member said.
Sources said the department staff usually trace the mother elephant within a few days after the separation of the calf elephant. However, this is the longest period of being unable to trace the mother, despite Sirumugai and nearby forest ranges being home to a sizeable population of elephants.
Speaking about the calf’s health, sources in the department said that calf elephants stop suckling from its mother 1.5-2 years of age. The staff were stunned when this calf started chewing grass collected in the forest.
“We have been providing Lactogen milk and watermelon once every hour. The animal also consumes fruits. We have been taking care of the animal for the last week, and it has not developed any health issues,” said a staff member taking care of the animal
The animal will be shifted to the Kozhikamuthi elephant camp in ATR or the Theppakkadu elephant camp in MTR if reunion efforts fail. The animal is currently at the APW camp.