COIMBATORE: The health of a five-month-old female elephant calf that was abandoned in the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR), has improved considerably after a month of treatment at the Wildlife Transit and Treatment Centre (WTTC) in Pethikuttai, Sirumugai.
Following improvement in its health, Coimbatore Forest Division DFO N Vengatesh Prabhu has written to Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden Rakesh Kumar Dogra seeking permission to shift the calf to either the Kozhikamuthi Elephant Camp in Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) or the Theppakkadu Elephant Camp in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR).
According to the DFO, shifting the calf to either of the dedicated elephant camps would provide an opportunity for it to socialise with other elephant calves, which could help improve its mental and physical well-being.
The calf is currently receiving special care from a dedicated mahout and kavadi that feed it milk supplements and coconut water every two hours as per the instructions of the WTTC veterinarian.
Forest officials said efforts had also been made over the past month to reunite the calf with its herd. However, the attempts were unsuccessful.
"We wrote to the department heads in Chennai only after the calf's health improved considerably. It is actively playing, sleeping and walking well," said Vengatesh Prabhu.
"There was no wound when it was brought to the WTTC. Our veterinarian, Dr Vijayaraghavan, has been assessing the calf's health, and it is showing signs of recovery. All its health parameters are in good condition," he added.