COIMBATORE: After a 10-month-old elephant calf was found separated from its herd at Koothamandi reserve forest in Sirumugai forest range, efforts are under way to reunite it with its herd since Monday evening.
The team led by Sirumugai forest range officer K Manoj tried reuniting the animal with the herd on Monday evening, but the herd refused to take in the calf.
The calf was under the care of the Koothamandi Anti Poaching Watcher's (APW) office on Monday night, and a Coimbatore forest veterinarian K Sukumar was called to treat the calf since it was also found to be sick.
"The calf is in stress as it was separated from its original herd, and the Sirumugai forest range staff are trying to reunite it with the herd. The calf elephant consumed lactogen milk and fodder, and it also fainted during observation. Emergency treatment was provided to revive its health and the animal was stable after an hour,” said forest department sources.
The official said they are taking steps to reunite the animal with the herd, and the herd will only accept it when the calf’s health improves.
Sirumugai forest sources said, "The nearby forest range staff are also trying to locate the mother elephant in Sathymangalam Tiger Reserve (STR) and Kil Kotagiri forest range since they are close to the Sirumugai range. We have also been using drones to locate the mother elephant.”
"We watched the calf walk 2km into the forest before returning. After this, we started providing treatment,” the forest staff said.