Lost elephant calf Kanya finds new family in Chiang Mai

The tale of Kanya, the lost wild elephant calf, has come to a joyful conclusion. Found wandering in a rice field in the Bueng Kan province, she has now joined a new family in Chiang Mai. The journey of Kanya, from Bueng Kan to Chiang Mai, is one worth revisiting.

Kanya’s story began on the morning of September 12, when villagers found her alone in a rice field near the Phu Wua Wildlife Sanctuary in Bueng Kan province. Local officials, alongside the central inspection officers of the Phu Wua Wildlife Sanctuary, located a two-month-old female elephant calf, with no signs of her mother nearby.

They set up a temporary enclosure for Kanya, named after the month she was found, and monitored her in hopes her mother would return. However, by the morning of September 13, her mother had not returned.

Officials coordinated with veterinarians from the 10th Animal Hospital to examine Kanya and decide on a course of action. Health checks revealed that Kanya was relatively weak, suffering from diarrhoea, battle wounds, and inflammation of the eye tissue.

Despite her condition, she was observed calling out for her mother periodically. Around-the-clock care was provided by the team of veterinarians, with her health gradually improving.

In early November, Teerapat Trangprakarn, owner of the Patara Elephant Conservation in Chiang Mai, offered to let Kanya live with a mother elephant who had recently given birth. This was coordinated through Kanjana Silpa-archa, allowing Kanya to drink the mother elephant’s milk and consume her dung, crucial for a calf’s immune system development and learning to live independently.

Before her relocation, Kanya was closely monitored by a team of veterinarians to ensure she was healthy and ready for the journey. The transfer from Phu Wua Wildlife Sanctuary in Bueng Kan to the Patara Elephant Conservation in Chiang Mai was meticulously planned, with a vet accompanying her throughout the journey and regular stops every three hours to check her condition.

Kanya was prepared for her journey to the elephant farm in Chiang Mai yesterday at 3pm. She swiftly entered the transport vehicle within a minute, accompanied by a convoy of five vehicles, including the Phu Wua Wildlife Sanctuary head, the Phu Luang Wildlife Research Station, the vehicle carrying Kanya, a team of vets, and the director of the Wildlife Conservation Division.

The Patara Elephant Conservation farm was ready to welcome Kanya, showcasing their facilities and a mother elephant named Pang Wande, who had a surplus of milk from recently giving birth. The farm also hosts three mother-and-calf pairs, providing Kanya with companionship.

Today, Kanya arrived at the Patara Elephant Conservation farm. She was greeted with milk and six caregivers to prevent attachment to any particular individual. Once she’s familiar with her new surroundings, she will be introduced to her adoptive mother, reported KhaoSod.