An elephant calf that had slipped and fallen into the PAP (Parambikulam Aliyar Project) contour canal in Pollachi was rescued and reunited with its mother, in a risky operation by T.N. Forest Department field staff.
The mother elephant had initially tried very hard to rescue the baby, but the young one was unable to come out due to strong water flow in the canal. The Forest Department staff had waited for the mother elephant to get a little away from the calf and then stepped into the canal for the hazardous rescue operation. The calf was eventually brought out by the team and united with the mother elephant, which even acknowledged the humanitarian gesture by waving its trunk, according to Forest Department sources.
Additional Chief Secretary, Environment Climate Change and Forests Supriya Sahu, termed the operation “fabulous” while complimenting officials and staff down the hierarchy: Field Director Ramasubraniam, Deputy Director B. Teja, Range Officer Pugalenthi FRO, Forester Thilakar, Forest Guards Saravanan, Chinnathan and Vellingiri, Forest Watchers Murali and Rasu, and Anti-Poaching Watchers Balu and Nagaraj.
In her message posted on X (formerly Twitter), Ms. Sahu said: “Our hearts are melting with joy to see the elephant mother raising her trunk to thank our foresters after they rescued and united (with it) a very young baby elephant.”
