Rejected elephant calf dies

By D. Radhakrishnan

UDHAGAMANDALAM, NOV. 28. A pall of gloom has descended on Vazhaithottam and surroundings of the Nilgiris (North) forest division near Masinagudy, where a ``struggle'' to save an elephant calf rejected by its herd ended in failure.

The male calf, aged less than three months, died last night.

On October 2, the desperate trumpeting by the calf, which had fallen into a hollow, drew the attention of tribals in the vicinity of the Sigur forest range.

With the help of forest officials, it was rescued. An attempt to re-unite the calf with its herd had succeeded initially but it was rejected a few hours later. Further efforts at bringing about a mother-child, ``re-union'' came a cropper.

The elephant calf, addressed as `Gandhi' as it was found on October 2, was kept at Vazhaithottam and fed mostly intravenously with multivitamins and other weaning food. In the process, it endeared itself to the local people and visitors.

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Section  : Southern States
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