Kaziranga (Assam), September 17, 2014: An elephant calf stranded on an island in Brahmaputra River with its mother and a young tusker was moved to the IFAW-WTI run Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) after its mother was found dead.

The group of three were sighted by Forest Department last month end in Uma Tamuni island, who called in IFAW-WTI team for assistance. The elephants were believed to have reached the island due to floods in Kaziranga, and were unable to cross the river to safety.

Dr Jahan Ahmed, IFAW-WTI veterinarian who reported that the mother’s health was very poor, and that she was immobile. The younger elephants, he said, were active and appeared healthy.

 The orphaned elephant calves. Photo: Subhamoy Bhattacharjee/ IFAW-WTI

The calves were being monitored by the Forest Department and IFAW-WTI, and found that the mother’s health was gradually deteriorating. The team were also providing supplementary feed to the elephants as resources were scarce in the island.

Invasive treatment of the mother was not possible as that would need the animal to be sedated, which posed serious risk of drowning in such landscapes. She was provided rehydrants and mineral supplements through her food, but she succumbed to her ailments early morning Saturday.

IFAW-WTI team strategising the calf’s rescue. Photo: Subhamoy Bhattacharjee/ IFAW-WTI

“The remaining two elephants were under stress, and steps had to be taken to move them out of the island,” said Dr Ahmed.

The IFAW-WTI team led by Regional Head Dr Bhaskar Choudhury including Dr Ahmed, Dr Abhijit Bhawal and Dr Samshul Ali and animal keepers Ramen Das, Laxmi Das, Chandra Swargiyari, Duluk Dagang, Deba Mushahary and Birkhe Bahadur worked with the Forest Department staff on Sunday to relocate the younger calf to CWRC first.

Accordingly, the calf was mildly sedated and transported across the river on a boat and then driven to CWRC, and is now being stabilised.