Sambalpur: A baby elephant was rescued from an abandoned well after two-hour-long arduous operation by Forest Department personnel in Basiapada forest under Jujumura police limits in Sambalpur on Monday.
According to sources, the baby elephant slipped into the uncovered well when a herd of elephants was passing through the forest last night. Hearing distress trumpets of the baby elephant as well as the mother elephant, the villagers rushed to the spot and immediately informed the Forest Department.
Since the mother elephant stood guard all night near the well, the rescue operation could start only in the morning. A JCB machine was used to dig a pit parallel to the well, whose wall was also broken allow the elephant to come out of it.
“It was raining last night. While crossing the forest, the calf fell into the well. Our team rescued it safely,” said Sambalpur DFO Biswanath Nilambar.