A two-year-old wild elephant calf was rescued from an abandoned well at Thannithodu here on Monday by the Forest department after an operation lasting several hours.

The calf had fallen into a nearly 20-foot-deep dry well on a private property at Mekkanam, a forest fringe area, on Sunday night. According to forest officials, a herd of elephants had entered a rubber plantation owned by a local resident when the calf accidentally slipped into the unused well.

On hearing the cries of elephants around 4 a.m., locals rushed to the spot and found the calf trapped inside the well. They alerted officials of the Thannithodu Forest Range Office, who immediately and began rescue operation.

The rescue team created a pathway by breaking open a portion of the well and using an excavator machine to form a slope, enabling the calf to climb out. Officials had to proceed cautiously as the elephant herd remained in the vicinity during the initial stages of the operation before moving back into the forest.

After sustained efforts, the calf managed to emerge from the well and moved towards another section of the plantation. Forest officials followed the animal and burst crackers to guide it towards the forest. Efforts are under way to reunite the calf with its herd, officials said.

Residents’ complaints

Meanwhile, residents of Thannithodu and nearby areas have raised concerns over recurring incidents of human-wildlife conflict. They said wild elephant herds frequently enter settlements and farmlands, causing damage to crops and property. The residents also accused the Forest department of failing to initiate adequate preventive measures to address the issue.