COIMBATORE: A three-to-four-month-old elephant calf was discovered abandoned in the backwater area of Bhavanisagar dam in Kandavayal village early Saturday after getting separated from its mother and herd.
The calf was seen playfully running along the Kandavayal-Mokkaimedu road adjacent to the reserve forest, prompting forest officers to initiate efforts to reunite it with the herd.
According to a forest officer, the calf, along with its mother and herd, had been moving toward the backwater area from Odanthurai reserve forest in the Sirumugai forest range during the early morning hours. At some point, the herd moved on, leaving the calf behind, and the young elephant was unable to follow their trail.
Locals who spotted the calf alerted the forest frontline staff. A team led by Sirumugai forest range officer K Manoj rushed to the spot and began monitoring the situation.
The officer stated that they deliberately avoided touching or capturing the calf to prevent it from acquiring a human scent, which could make it harder for the mother to accept it later. The department is now closely tracking the herd's movement inside the reserve forest using a drone equipped with a thermal camera. If the herd returns to the backwater area, the department plans to take steps to reunite the calf with its mother.
