27-year-old female Jumbo rescued after 36-hour operation in Karnataka

SAKLESHPUR: A 27-year-old female elephant was rescued after a 36-hour-long operation near Kadagaravalli village of Sakleshpur taluk. The elephant had fallen into a slush-filled ditch. 

Two days ago, the elephant went looking for food along with its six-month-old calf near the village and this is when it got stuck in the ditch filled with slush, forest officials said. Villagers say that the elephant was already injured on both its front legs and this prevented her from getting out of the ditch. 

It was on Monday morning that the villagers alerted the forest department officials about the elephant.  From rope to an earth moving machine, the forest officials tried everything to lift the elephant up, but in vain. Heavy moisture and loose soil also hampered the rescue operations. The officials finally decided to bring in two tamed elephants from Dubare elephant camp and this worked in the rescue operation.

The elephant and its calf were later shifted to Sakrebailu camp in Shivamogga, Deputy Conservator of Forest for Hassan Sivarambabu said.