Orphaned jumbo calf rescued from tea garden
ALIPURDUAR: An orphaned 4-month-old elephant calf has found shelter at Hollong Central Philkhana (stable for trained elephants) in Jaldapara National Park. The staff from the Jalpaiguri Forest Department had rescued the elephant calf from Dolmor tea garden in the Alipurduar district on Monday. Later, they handed over the calf to Hollong Central Philkhana in Jaldapara. The veterinary team and a Mahout (elephant keeper) at Jaldapara are currently taking care of the calf.
According to forest officials, a fully-grown female elephant had died of electrocution in Khairbari, Madarihat of Alipurduar late on Friday night when a group of wild elephants from the jungle made their way through Keranipara to a betel nut garden. Post-mortem examination of the elephant’s carcass had revealed that it was lactating.
Forest officials claim that, after the death of the elephant, the elephant calf getting separated from its herd had wandered off and ended up at Birpara’s Dalmore tea garden.
The calf was rescued on Monday and taken to Hollong Central Philkhana. The four-and-a-halfmonths old calf will remain in quarantine for 15 days.
Navjeet De, the ADFO of Jaldapara Wildlife Division, stated: “The cub was rescued by the Jalpaiguri Forest Department and handed over to us. The veterinary team and the mahout at Jaldapara are taking care of the calf. Currently, the calf is being fed approximately 1-1.5 litres of infant milk at a time. The calf is yet to learn how to feed from a bottle. The calf is also being given medication as prescribed by the veterinary team.”