The Forest Department spent a third day on Monday trying to reunite an orphaned elephant calf with its herd in Sirumugai forest range of the Coimbatore Forest Division.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of the Forest Force Srinivas R. Reddy (in-charge of Chief Wildlife Warden) told The Hindu that the calf was hydrated as the Department staff continued efforts to reunite it with a herd.
The staff, based on the advice of a veterinarian, was providing milk substitute formula as it has been wandering since Saturday, without access to mother’s milk. Fluids were also being given to keep the animal hydrated.
Aged around three months, the calf was found orphaned on a forest fringe at Kanthavayal near Sirumugai on Saturday, April 25. It was guided to a herd on Saturday evening and it spent the night with the elephants. However, a male elephant from the herd chased the calf when the elephants came to a waterhole around 3 p.m. on Sunday.
Chief Conservator of Forests D. Venkatesh said though the calf was guided to a herd on Monday morning, it did not approach the elephants. A third attempt was made around 4 p.m. when the calf spent around 10 minutes with another herd and was again found left alone.
