A baby wild elephant, believed to have become separated from its mother, has been rescued in Kanchanaburi province after being found exhausted and alone near a stream.
Sai Yok National Park chief Peera Puangmalee said park rangers from the Mae Nam Noi protection unit were alerted by villagers in Moo 5 of Sai Yok subdistrict after a lone wild elephant calf was spotted on the bank of the Mae Nam Noi stream.
When officials arrived at the scene on Thursday, they found the calf exhausted and believed it had been separated from its mother for about two days. Rangers remained at the site overnight to observe the calf, hoping the herd would return. Throughout the night, the calf repeatedly called for its mother, but there was no response from the herd.
The calf was found standing just 30 centimetres from the riverbank, leading officials to believe it had been swept downstream after the herd crossed the river.
At about 9am yesterday, a veterinary team travelled to the site by boat, a journey that took nearly two hours.
An initial examination found the calf to be a male weighing about 40kg and estimated to be less than two weeks old. Veterinarians said it was severely dehydrated and exhausted, with multiple abrasions, blisters and wounds around its mouth and trunk.
The calf also had ulcer-like sores in its mouth, making it difficult for it to drink.
Its condition suggested a possible infection or severe dehydration, and it was also suffering from foul-smelling diarrhoea.
The calf was transferred to Sai Yok National Park headquarters for treatment.
While awaiting the test results, the calf will remain under close observation in a temporary enclosure as veterinarians continue to monitor its condition.
