CCTV footage captured the mother elephant’s repeated attempts to help her fallen calf, but the rescue effort ended in tragedy.
Heartbreaking CCTV footage from Wayanad district in Kerala has captured a herd of wild elephants trying to reach a calf that tumbled down a steep plantation slope. Despite repeated attempts by the mother and other adult elephants to get to the young animal, the calf was later found dead.
The incident occurred on Sunday at Muthumari, Kattikkulam, near Mananthavady, close to the forest boundary, according to a report by Onmanorama. Footage retrieved from a nearby plantation and shared on social media on Monday shows the herd gathering around the distressed calf as it struggles on the incline.
The video has drawn widespread attention, capturing the difficulties faced by wildlife officials when an injured or distressed animal is surrounded by a protective herd.
CCTV Footage Shows Herd Trying to Reach Fallen Calf
The footage shows the calf tumbling down the slope and crying out. Its mother and other elephants gather nearby and appear to try to reach it, while loud trumpeting can be heard in the background.
The North Wayanad Forest Division’s Rapid Response Team (RRT) reached the location on Sunday after receiving information about the incident. However, officials could not approach the calf because adult elephants had gathered around it.
Forest personnel returned on Monday morning with a joint team from the Begur Forest Range and the RRT. They managed to move the herd back towards the forest, allowing them to reach the calf.
The young elephant was found dead. Forest Department officials later moved the carcass to a location deeper inside the forest and buried it.
Similar Elephant Calf Incidents Reported in Asia
The Wayanad tragedy follows other reported incidents in which adult elephants have stayed close to injured or dead calves, making it difficult for people to approach them.
In Malaysia, a baby elephant died after being struck by a lorry while attempting to cross the East-West Highway in Perak on Mother’s Day. Reports by The Star and The Straits Times said the calf’s mother emerged from a nearby forest and tried to reach it. Footage of the incident circulated widely online, and the collision brought traffic to a standstill. The mother reportedly damaged the lorry.
Another incident was reported in October 2025 in Barunachari village in Bangladesh’s Chittagong Hill Tracts. A wild elephant calf reportedly slipped down a steep hillside and fell into Kaptai Lake. According to local reports, forest officials struggled to retrieve the body because the mother remained nearby and drove away those who approached.
These cases illustrate the challenges that can arise when wildlife teams respond to incidents involving elephant calves in the presence of adult members of the herd.
Why Approaching a Distressed Elephant Herd Can Be Dangerous
Reaching an injured or dead calf can be difficult when adult elephants remain nearby. Their protective responses can pose serious risks to people attempting to approach, forcing wildlife personnel to wait until they can safely access the animal.
In the Wayanad incident, forest officials were initially unable to reach the calf because the herd had gathered around it. They returned with additional personnel the following morning and moved the elephants away before retrieving the calf.
Such situations require trained wildlife teams to assess the animals’ behavior and determine when it is safe to intervene. Members of the public should keep their distance from distressed elephants and avoid approaching them or attempting a rescue themselves.
Wayanad Incident Highlights Challenges at the Forest Boundary
The death of the calf in Wayanad highlights the difficulties forest teams face when responding to wildlife incidents near plantations and other areas where human activity meets forest habitat.
The CCTV footage has brought attention to the herd’s repeated attempts to reach the fallen calf and the challenges faced by officials trying to intervene safely.
While the calf could not be saved, the incident serves as a reminder that encounters with distressed wildlife can be unpredictable. Keeping a safe distance and leaving intervention to trained forest personnel remain essential when elephants are involved.
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Heartbreaking footage shows herd’s desperate attempt to rescue fallen calf
Source: Gulf News
