Bokakhat (Assam), November 29, 2010: A five-year-old male elephant calf was rescued from a ditch in a tea estate near Bokakhat in central Assam and reunited with its natal herd by the Assam Forest Department and IFAW-WTI Mobile Veterinary Service team on Saturday.

The calf was first sighted by local people in Lakhowjan Tea Estate. Following its screams, they found it trapped, and informed the local forest officials. Its herd was nearby and a tractor that happened to pass close to the site where the calf was trapped was reportedly attacked.

“Since the calf was upside down, he was stressed and exhausted from the efforts to free himself,” said Dr Anil Deka, IFAW-WTI veterinarian, who attended the rescue.

An excavator was deployed to widen the ditch to free the animal. Wooden poles were used to help it stand upright.

“Shots were fired in the air to keep the herd away till the rescue operation was over. Once freed, the calf headed back to its herd,” Dr Deka added.

This is the tenth displaced elephant calf to have been reunited with its natal herd by IFAW-WTI in northeast India. Several others that could not be reunited are undergoing long-term rehabilitation. These calves are hand-raised at the IFAW-WTI run Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) and reintegrated with wild herds in Manas National Park.