A baby elephant has been rescued in dramatic fashion from a manhole in central Thailand after its mother was sedated to allow the operation to proceed, wildlife officials said.
The calf fell into the drainage channel on the edge of the Royal Hills golf course in Nakhon Nayok province in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
His distraught mother, believed to be part of a herd of elephants traveling through the nearby jungle, stayed with the infant as he was unable to climb out of the steep pit.
The pair were spotted by a passing local resident, who was quick to alert wildlife officials and Khao Yai National Park officials to the pachyderm’s plight.
Would-be rescuers were initially unable to help the baby elephant due to the presence of its concerned mother and had to calm the older animal down.
Unfortunately, the mother elephant then partially fell into the hole before being pulled out — with the help of an excavator — and later revived, according to the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plants Conservation.
The calf was eventually rescued from the pit and reunited with its mother, with park authorities confirming the couple had returned safely to the jungle.
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