A four-month-old abandoned elephant calf has been provided shelter in the Bannerghatta Biological Park rescue centre in Karnataka. The animal was found in Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary and was found wandering near the Muttatti-Sangam road on August 1.

The Forest Department officials tried to unite the calf with the mother but on failing to do so, they shifted it to Bannerghatta.

According to the veterinarian of the Zoo, Umashankar calves are generally abandoned when they are sick or when the mother is dead or mating. Such abandoned calves find it very difficult to survive since they need milk and their mother’s protection. Moreover, in their nursing years, such calves are prone to infections and are not accepted by other elephant groups.

Sharing details about the calf with New Indian Express, Umashankar said: “BBMP houses 25 elephants with four calves. The herds are not accepting the new entrant. The calf has been kept in a separate enclosure and needs a lot of emotional, psychological and medical support. Mahouts are trying to befriend the calf and animal keepers are attempting to hand rear him. His samples to check for viral infections have been sent for analysis.”

Earlier the BBP had rescued an abandoned calf which was later adopted by then Forest Minister Anand Singh.

Besides this calf, BBP is expected to soon have Hamadryas Baboons from Singapore Zoo. The first batch consists of two males and a female and will arrive from Mysuru Zoo where at present they are quarantined. The second batch is expected to come directly from the Singapore Zoo.