Video: Elephant trapped in a well rescued after 13-hour operation in Tamil Nadu

Rescue officials had to tranquillise the elephant twice to complete the task.
Dharmapuri elephant rescued
Dharmapuri elephant rescued
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After a laborious rescue operation that lasted for over 13 hours, the female elephant that fell into a well in Tamil Nadu’s Dindigul district on November 19 was finally brought out. The district forest officials had brought a JCB vehicle that helped in bringing the elephant up from the 60-feet well in Pachapalli Elagundu village. Rescue officials had to tranquillise the elephant twice to complete the task.

Dharmapuri District Forest Officer (DFO) had told TNM earlier that upon assessing its health condition, it would be sent back to the forest area. The visuals taken at the rescue area showed the rescued elephant standing up on its feet and swaying while trying to regain its strength. Members of the rescue team can be seen approaching the elephant with ropes to secure it in place. Veterinarian doctors were present at the venue to examine the animal for injuries.

Around 5 am on Thursday a female elephant estimated to be aged about 25 to 30 years of age slipped and fell into an old but well maintained well. This well located on farmland very close to the reserve forest is 60-feet deep and six feet wide. The accident was reported by villagers who immediately alerted officials. Fortunately, the well was not filled with water which helped in the rescue of the elephant.

50 members from the forest department and about 20 from the fire and rescue team were reportedly involved in the rescue operations. The residents too cooperated and helped the officials in the rescue operation by supporting the forest department’s efforts.

A little over a year ago, a similar incident was reported from Kerala’s Kannur region in which a baby elephant had slipped and fallen into a dry well that was closed with concrete slabs. The rescue operation took about 12-18 hours following which it was successfully rescued.

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