In a heartwarming rescue, a two-month-old elephant calf was safely reunited with its mother in Kaziranga National Park on July 5, thanks to the swift action of forest officials and the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) rescue team.
The calf was found alone and visibly distressed in Borjuri village, located near the periphery of the park, after reportedly being separated from its herd. Concerned villagers promptly alerted the forest department about the stranded animal.
Responding without delay, a joint rescue operation was launched, led by renowned veterinarian Dr. Bhaskar Choudhury. The team managed to secure the calf and safely escort it back to the forest, where it was successfully reunited with its mother.
Forest officials said the calf appeared healthy and had not suffered any injuries. The operation highlights the importance of community participation in wildlife conservation and the efficiency of rapid response teams in protecting the region’s rich biodiversity.
As per sources, at approximately 4:00 am, while on vehicle patrol duty, the KNP team was intercepted by villagers near Borjuri Basti, who reported that an elephant calf had been separated from its herd while the herd was returning to the park through the Veroni area. The patrolling party immediately responded to the situation and reached the spot, where another team from Agoratoli Range had also arrived.
Upon arrival, we observed the calf running around a paddy field, moving towards the tea garden area in Sapjuri. The Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) rescue team was promptly informed, and they joined our efforts to safely capture the calf.
Rescue and Preliminary Examination
The calf was successfully rescued and transported to CWRC for a preliminary examination to assess its health status. Fortunately, the examination revealed that the calf was fully healthy, with no signs of injury, disability, or disease.
Reunion Efforts
Given the calf’s healthy condition, it was deemed essential to reunite it with its mother and herd as soon as possible. To facilitate this, the calf was taken to the Veroni area, which is a known corridor for elephant movement in and out of the park. Two departmental elephants were deployed to track the movement of the herd.
Kaziranga National Park is a national park in the Golaghat, Sonitpur, Biswanath, and Nagaon districts of the state of Assam, India. KNP has 5 ranges. The park, which hosts two-thirds of the world’s Indian rhinoceroses, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. According to a March 2018 census conducted jointly by the Forest Department of the Government of Assam and some recognized wildlife NGOs, the rhino population in Kaziranga National Park is 2,613. It comprises 1,641 adult rhinos and 385 calves.
