Orphaned baby elephant finds a home at Guwahati Zoo
By ANITuesday, March 16, 2010
GUWAHATI - Guwahati Zoo is looking after a baby elephant, whose mother was killed recently by a speeding train.
The two-week old calf has been keeping the authorities busy at the Assam State Zoo-cum-Botanical Garden.
The zookeepers are feeding the calf with lactogen milk and are taking extensive care to save the young one from catching any infection.
A team of veterinary doctors is deputed to keep a watch on the calf’s health round the clock.
“Basically it is dehydration and infection; if we can protect the animal from these two initially then, perhaps, there can be no problem,” said Narayan Mahanta, divisional forest officer, Assam state zoo.
“We have taken the challenges, we have experienced veterinarians and we have experienced animal keepers, mahouts, all are taking care of the animal and till now everything is in right direction. There is not much problem,” he added.
The baby elephant has become a darling of the zookeepers, since the death of its mother.
The mother of the elephant was killed at the Deepor Beel, known as an elephant-bathing zone in the state.
Many elephants and wild animals have been hit by trains along this particular stretch of railway track, which passes through lush forest area. (ANI)
