Calf, herd members visit ailing female elephant under treatment near Coimbatore

Forest Department treats female wild elephant near Coimbatore; calf reunited with herd, receiving treatment, monitored by officials.

A female wild elephant that the Forest Department has been treating at the Maruthamalai foothills near Coimbatore since May 30 was visited by its four-month-old calf and other elephants late on Saturday.

According to the Department, the calf was reunited with its herd around 5.30 a.m. on Saturday, after it followed a juvenile elephant that visited the ailing cow elephant, aged around 40.

Six elephants, comprising the calf, two males, two females, and one juvenile, visited the ailing female elephant around 10.30 p.m. on Saturday.

Forest officials said that they spent around two hours with the sick elephant before returning to the forest.

Meanwhile, veterinarians are continuing treatment for the ailing elephant that has been kept erect using slings attached to a crane. The elephant was responding to treatment besides eating fodder, fruits and water provided by the Department.

Officials attached to the Coimbatore forest range said four field staff teams are monitoring the herd’s movement and the calf’s condition.