A group of fishermen in West Bengal pulled off a remarkable wildlife rescue after spotting a young elephant struggling in the powerful current of the Teesta River. The calf had been separated from its herd and was being swept downstream when the fishermen rushed to its aid.
The emotional rescue, captured on video, shows the fishermen holding and comforting the rescued elephant on their boat. The calf was later handed over to forest officials and successfully reunited with its mother.
Elephant calf swept away in Teesta river
The incident took place in the Jalpaiguri district, near the Malbazar subdivision and the Teesta River's Spur No. 12 area close to the Punjab embankment.
According to reports, an elephant herd was crossing the Teesta near the Gajoldoba area when the young calf became separated from its mother. The strong river current carried the animal several kilometres downstream.
The calf was reportedly only a few days old. Some reports put its age at around four days, while local accounts described it as approximately 13 days old.
Fishermen follow calf through strong current
The fishermen were out on the river when they noticed the calf struggling to remain above water. Realising that the animal was in immediate danger, they turned their boat towards it.
They followed the drifting elephant for several kilometres before getting close enough to pull it from the water. Reports vary slightly on the distance, with accounts describing the pursuit as roughly three to four kilometres.
The rescuers then brought the exhausted calf safely to the riverbank and alerted the forest department.
Forest officials step in to reunite mother and calf
After the rescue, the elephant was taken into the care of the forest department at the Kathambari range. Officials assessed the calf and began efforts to locate its mother, who was believed to remain in the Gajoldoba area.
Forest personnel, along with local residents and the fishermen, worked to facilitate the reunion. After nearly two hours of efforts, the mother elephant was located and the calf was returned to her.
The mother reportedly accepted the calf and was later seen nursing it before the pair moved back towards the forest.
