Mother elephant refuses to leave trapped calf at Kemaman plantation as Perhilitan conducts rescue; pair safely returns to forest
KUALA LUMPUR, June 8 — The Terengganu Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) rescued a wild elephant calf caught in a rope snare at an oil palm plantation near Felda Neram II, Kemaman last Thursday.
State Perhilitan director Loo Kean Seong said they received information about the incident at around 2.30pm before deploying six personnel to the scene.
'Upon arrival, we found a young elephant caught in a cow rope snare around its leg, with five adult elephants nearby,' he said, as reported by Utusan Malaysia.
'Perhilitan officers sedated the female elephant believed to be the calf's mother and drove the others away before cutting the rope,' he said.
Loo said the calf did not suffer serious injuries and was found to be in stable condition.
The mother was later given an antidote to reverse the sedative and safely rejoined her herd.
A video of the incident, which has gone viral, showed the mother elephant refusing to leave her calf's side, even as the other elephants moved away.
According to Sinar Harian, the snare was believed to have been set up by cattle farmers who use the plantation as a grazing area.
'There were reports of wild elephants disturbing the plantation that morning, and workers had tried to drive them out,' Loo said.
'It is likely the calf was separated and became trapped while trying to return to the forest,' he added.
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