Baby elephant rescued after mother abandons it in forest in Thailand
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A baby elephant was found alone with injuries to its hind leg and signs of fatigue in Thailand on Sept 21.
PHOTO: THAILAND DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL PARKS, WILDLIFE AND PLANT CONSERVATION/FACEBOOK
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BANGKOK – Thai national park officials rushed to rescue a newborn elephant abandoned by its mother in Lam Khlong Ngu National Park, Kanchanaburi, after it was found exhausted and with an injured leg.
Mr Attapol Charoenchansa, director-general of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, instructed officials to provide urgent assistance after the calf was discovered separated from its herd in a farmland area of Thong Pha Phum district.
The animal was moved to the park headquarters for immediate care while veterinarians considered transferring it to the Bueng Chawak Wildlife Management Development Centre in Suphan Buri for further rehabilitation.
The baby elephant was closely cared for by park staff, wildlife volunteers and local residents.
PHOTO: THAILAND DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL PARKS, WILDLIFE AND PLANT CONSERVATION/FACEBOOK
According to park chief Akkanit Klangpraphan, villagers first reported a birth of a wild elephant calf on Sept 20.
Officials and local wildlife patrols monitored the situation until Sept 21, when they found the calf alone at 4.30pm with injuries to its hind leg and signs of fatigue.
The baby elephant was moved to the park headquarters for immediate care.
PHOTO: THAILAND DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL PARKS, WILDLIFE AND PLANT CONSERVATION/FACEBOOK
No adult elephants were spotted nearby.
Veterinarians from the Protected Areas Regional Office 3 (Ban Pong) arrived late that night to assess the animal’s condition.
The calf has since been closely cared for by park staff, wildlife volunteers and local residents, and showed signs of recovery by the morning of Sept 22. THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
