Crippled elephant calf reunited with its family in India

15/01/2009 00:27:51 January 2009: A ‘lost' wild elephant calf that was reunited with its family herd in Kaziranga National Park has been sighted, apparently thriving, a month after its release. The sighting has pleasantly surprised conservationists who had doubts about its survival as the calf has a congenital deformity in its leg.

The calf was rescued by the Assam Forest Department officials from a marsh near Roumari on December 3rd 2008. It was provided medical treatment for its injuries and reunited with its family herd soon after.

Dr Phulmoni Gogoi, of the Wildlife Trust of India - International Fund for Animal Welfare (WTI-IFAW) veterinarian, said, "I treated the calf for an abscess in its hind limb. She also had a congenital deformity in the right hind leg stifle joint. She could not flex the leg fully and had a limping gait. Although, the forest officials had reunited her with her natal herd, we were doubtful of her survival."

The calf was sighted by Dr Prasanta Boro, veterinarian at the WTI-IFAW run Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC). He was on his way to release a hog deer, when he saw the calf with its herd.
"We hadn't got any information on the calf after its reunion. I feared the worse, but when I saw the pictures taken by Dr Boro, I knew it was her," Dr Gogoi confirmed.