Park officials save mother and baby elephant in central Thailand

A mother elephant and her baby were caught in a sticky situation when they fell into a manhole near Khao Yai National Park in central Thailand. A village chief said he stumbled upon a herd of about 30 elephants in Nakhon Nayok province in the early hours of yesterday morning. He said that one baby elephant suddenly fell into the manhole, which was about 2 metres deep.

The chief, Saksiri, said that the baby couldn’t get out of the hole by itself, and it was raining. The mother elephant was watching her baby above the hole, and officials had to tranquillise her when they arrived. But tranquillising the mother elephant caused her to also fall into the hole. The mother elephant fell in with her front legs, while her back legs were left on the edge of the manhole.

Rescuers brought a crane that they used to pull the mother out of the hole first since they were afraid she would suffocate. After the mother was pulled out, she fainted, and a veterinarian gave her CPR. After the rescuers pulled the baby out, the baby was nursed by its mother until she woke up.

Officials have now brought both mother and baby back to the jungle safely, where they have reunited with their herd.

In some areas of Thailand, officials have worried that there are too many elephants. There are concerns about elephants coming into human areas, such as in this recent incident.

SOURCE: Thai PBS World