Elephant calf gets lost while foraging, foresters reunite it with mother

COIMBATORE: A one-year-old male elephant calf, which was found abandoned in an agricultural field at Sundapatti Pirivu, Coimbatore, was reunited with its herd on Saturday.

Forest officials said the calf was part of a herd of elephants that raided the plantain and maize farms of Chinnaraj, of Nellithurai, on the early hours of the day. "After having enough of fodder, the herd left the agricultural field and entered the Mettupalayam forest range. But the calf was left behind as it was not able to cross the elephant proof trench near the agricultural field," said a forester, who didn't want to be named.

When farmworkers spotted the calf roaming in the field, they alerted the forest department. Mettupalayam range officer S Selvaraj and team reached the spot and guided the calf to the reserve forest, where the mother elephant was waiting with the herd.