Elephant calf born near road found dead

The elephants were seen caressing the body of the calf with their trunks. (Source: Express Photo by Ajay Krishnan)

The wild elephant calf, which was born near a public road and guarded by a herd of pachyderms for several hours in Kerala’s Vazhachal forest tract, was found dead.

Forest officials said the carcass of the calf, born last Monday, was spotted on the banks of Peringalkoothu reservoir in Thrissur on Friday by tribals, who had gone there for fishing. Other elephants were found near the little one’s carcass, mourning the loss of the new member. The elephants were seen caressing the body of the calf with their trunks. The elephants turned violent when the forest officials tried to reach the calf’s body.

On Saturday afternoon, they extricated the body, stuck in the boggy area of the riverside, after the elephants retreated to the forest.