Vets Treat 40-Year-Old Sick Elephant They Found Unconscious In Forest, Feed Milk To Its Calf

In Tamil Nadu’s Satyamangalam Tiger Reserve, near the Bannari – Bhavanisagar road in Erode district, the forest officials’ team are treating a sick female elephant that was found lying in a ditch. The dedicated forest staff, along with veterinarians, quickly arrived on the scene, to examine and treat the distressed elephant. Despite her inability to stand or eat normally, the forest team is seen diligently working to improve her health. Remarkably, the team is also caring for the baby elephant that remained by its mother’s side during this challenging time, by providing it shelter and necessary support. IAS officer Supriya Sahu brought attention to this emotional story by sharing a picture and a video showing the elephant’s struggle on X.

In the video shared by the IAS officer, it captures forest officials providing water to the 40-year-old animal through a pipe, ensuring hydration during this time. Another picture captures the veterinarians and other team members treating the troubled elephant, while two persons are seen holding the glucose bottles. Sharing the post, Sahu wrote, “A very difficult time for the Forest Team at the Satyamangalam Tiger Reserve as they are putting their best efforts to treat a very unwell female elephant. Her two-month-old baby is being taken care by a team of experienced Veterinarians.”

The post shared by IAS officer Supriya Sahu on X has garnered over 86,000 views. Numerous social media users expressed hope for the female elephant’s recovery, while others appreciated the dedicated efforts of the forest team in treating the distressed animal.

According to reports from The Hindu, Forest Department staff revealed that the female elephant, accompanied by her two-month-old calf, collapsed near the Bannari Amman temple in the forest area. Local residents, upon hearing the calf’s cries, discovered the unconscious mother and quickly informed the Sathyamangalam Forest Range staff. A team, led by wildlife veterinarian S Sadasivam, initiated treatment and to ensure the calf’s safety, the staff moved the baby elephant away, by placing it in a 5-foot-deep pit and even providing it with milk and water.

K Rajkumar, Conservator of Forests and Field Director at STR informed the news portal that they are currently focused on stabilizing the health of the mother elephant. Simultaneously, the staff is also giving proper care to the calf. Further, Rajkumar mentioned that once the mother elephant shows signs of recovery, the team plans to reunite the calf with her.