A lost baby elephant, barely two weeks old, has been rescued in western Thailand after rangers found it alone and badly weakened on a riverbank in Sai Yok National Park.
Locals in Kanchanaburi reported sightings of the wild calf on July 30 after it became separated from its herd. That same day, park rangers found the Indian elephant calf along the Huai Mae Nam Noi riverbank in critical condition.
“I have received the report about the lost wild elephant calf and am very concerned about its condition because it is still very young and is in a critical state,” Suchart Chomklin, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, said in a statement.
Officials believe the baby elephant may have been swept downstream from its herd by storms and strong currents. When rangers found it, the calf was severely dehydrated and weakened, and they estimated it had been stranded for about two days.
Indian elephants are known to stay near freshwater sources and can drink 150 to 200 litres a day. The average Indian elephant weighs about 11,000 pounds. The rescued calf weighed only 88 pounds, which put its age at about two weeks old.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the Indian elephant as endangered.
When a young animal is found in the wild, experts typically wait to see if reunification is possible. On July 30, Sai Yok National Park rangers stayed overnight near the calf to see if its herd would return. When its cries went unanswered, they intervened.
The elephant was transferred to Sai Yok National Park headquarters for medical treatment. It has been under around-the-clock care for dehydration, malnourishment, and wounds and abrasions on its trunk and mouth.
At the time of publication, the baby elephant was in stable condition and under close monitoring in a temporary enclosure.
“I would like to offer my encouragement and thanks to every officer and member of the veterinary team who has made sacrifices and devoted their efforts to reach the calf through the rain and strong currents and provide it with the fullest possible care,” Chomklin said on August 2.
“I have also instructed the Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation to mobilize specialist veterinarians to closely oversee every stage of its treatment so that the calf remains safe and its condition improves as soon as possible.”
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