Elephant calf swept away while crossing Teesta river rescued by fishermen and reunited with mother

A newborn elephant calf was swept nearly 4 km downstream in the Teesta river after getting separated from its herd in Jalpaiguri, West Bengal. The calf was struggling to stay afloat in the swollen river when a group of fishermen spotted it and moved their boat towards it.

According to TOI, five fishermen, Bablu Das, Mithun Das, Kader Das, Biswanath and Gopal, were on a small row boat when they spotted the calf near the 12th spur of the Teesta, close to Punjab embankment.

Earlier on Monday, a herd of five elephants had been moving upstream of the Gajoldoba Teesta Barrage. The calf was separated from the herd as the elephants crossed the river and was carried downstream by the strong current.

How did the fishermen rescue the elephant calf?

Fishermen saw the calf struggling in the water as waves continued to push it further downstream. Its small trunk remained above the water as it tried to keep itself afloat.

The group rowed towards the calf and brought the boat close enough to rescue it. Three of the fishermen then got into the water and helped pull the calf onto the boat.

As the boat headed back towards the riverbank, the three fishermen swam alongside it, pushing the boat against the current.

The calf was eventually brought to the bank and handed over to forest personnel. Officials took it to the Kathambari range office, where it received immediate veterinary care.

Where was the elephant calf taken after the river rescue?

Once the calf was safe, forest teams began searching for its mother and the rest of the herd.

Teams from the Baikunthapur forest division worked with local residents and the fishermen to trace the herd. The calf was later transported across the Teesta barrage to a dry stretch of riverbed where the herd was believed to have taken shelter.

The move was part of efforts to return the calf to its herd rather than keep it around humans for longer than necessary.

How did the forest team find the elephant calf's mother?

Forest personnel, fishermen and local residents continued working together to locate the herd.

After nearly two hours of coordinated efforts, the calf was taken to the area where the herd was believed to have taken shelter. The search focused on finding the mother and giving the calf an opportunity to reconnect with her.

The mother eventually approached the calf after it was brought to the area.

What happened when the elephant calf met its mother?

Mother elephant approached the rescued calf and was later seen nursing it.

The reunion followed hours of rescue and tracking efforts after the calf had been separated from its herd and carried nearly 4 km downstream by the Teesta.

Baikunthapur DFO Mudit praised the fishermen for their timely action, saying their intervention was crucial to the reunion.

Why was it important to reunite the elephant calf quickly?

Forest officials said prolonged human exposure can affect whether an elephant herd accepts a rescued calf.

The report cited an earlier incident during the north Bengal floods last October, when a calf rescued from the Mechi river was later rejected by its herd.

In the Teesta case, officials moved the calf towards its herd after providing immediate veterinary care. The effort involved forest personnel, fishermen and local residents.

The rescue began when the fishermen spotted the calf struggling in the river, with its trunk above the water. They rowed towards it, pulled it onto their boat and then helped push the boat against the current as they returned.

After being carried nearly 4 km away from its herd, the newborn elephant calf was finally reunited with its mother, who approached it and began nursing it.

Inputs from TOI