Twin elephant calves born in Bandipur saved from drowning moments after birth
The Hindu
While elephant giving birth to twins is reckoned to be rare, it is rarer for the event to be witnessed
A rare event of an elephant in the wild giving birth to twins in Bandipur Tiger Reserve has conservationists and netizens agog with excitement.
But, within minutes after their birth, the calves were at risk of losing their mother. After some quick thinking, the Forest Department intervened to rescue the twin calves and reunite them with their mother.
The video and photographs of the elephant with its twins are going viral on social media.
Ramesh Kumar, Director, Bandipur Tiger Reserve, said a few tourists on a safari and staff saw a pregnant elephant near the old reception centre. As the safari van waited, the elephant heaved itself and gingerly walked towards a boulder surrounded by a thicket and a water body. and gave birth to twin calves.
‘’The driver of the safari vehicle, who spotted the wild elephant giving birth to twins, informed us and we rushed to the spot by 3.45 p.m. On reaching the spot, we found the elephants inside a crater filled with water almost up to their neck,” said Mr. Ramesh Kumar.
The calves were struggling to come out. While the mother was fiercely guarding the calves, she was unable to help them get out of the crater.
While the mother stepped out, the calves did not. The calves were getting exhausted by the struggle to come out of the water.
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