A one-year-old female elephant calf found separated from its herd in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve on Monday. Forest Department officials are working to reunite it with nearby herds.
Coimbatore: The Forest Department has initiated efforts to reunite an elephant calf that was separated from its herd in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) on Monday. The female calf, estimated to be one-year-old, was discovered alone in the Moyar region of the tiger reserve.
Upon receiving information about the lone calf, a team of forest staff was immediately dispatched to the area. Their primary objective was to locate the calf's original herd and facilitate a reunion. Field Director of MTR, D. Venkatesh, stated that the elephant calf was taken near a herd close to where it was found in Susurmattam in Avarallah on Monday evening.
On Tuesday, the forest staff observed three herds in close proximity to the area where the calf was released. Two of these herds had elephant calves resembling the one found abandoned on Monday. The department suspects that one of these two herds has either adopted the calf or reunited with it following its release.
"In all probability, the calf would have reunited with the herd," said Venkatesh. He added that three teams of forest staff are continuing to monitor the area to ensure the calf's safety and successful integration.
The Forest Department has had considerable success in reuniting stranded elephant calves with their herds in recent years. Officials attribute this high success rate to their previous experiences in handling similar situations within the tiger reserve. These efforts have not only reunited calves with their original herds but have also facilitated adoptions by other herds when necessary.
This incident highlights the ongoing challenges faced by wildlife in the region and underscores the importance of prompt and skilled intervention by forest officials to ensure the welfare of young animals separated from their families.
Upon receiving information about the lone calf, a team of forest staff was immediately dispatched to the area. Their primary objective was to locate the calf's original herd and facilitate a reunion. Field Director of MTR, D. Venkatesh, stated that the elephant calf was taken near a herd close to where it was found in Susurmattam in Avarallah on Monday evening.
On Tuesday, the forest staff observed three herds in close proximity to the area where the calf was released. Two of these herds had elephant calves resembling the one found abandoned on Monday. The department suspects that one of these two herds has either adopted the calf or reunited with it following its release.
"In all probability, the calf would have reunited with the herd," said Venkatesh. He added that three teams of forest staff are continuing to monitor the area to ensure the calf's safety and successful integration.
The Forest Department has had considerable success in reuniting stranded elephant calves with their herds in recent years. Officials attribute this high success rate to their previous experiences in handling similar situations within the tiger reserve. These efforts have not only reunited calves with their original herds but have also facilitated adoptions by other herds when necessary.
This incident highlights the ongoing challenges faced by wildlife in the region and underscores the importance of prompt and skilled intervention by forest officials to ensure the welfare of young animals separated from their families.