Bhubaneswar (Orissa):

In a rare reunion, a baby elephant was reunited with its mother after more than a month in captivity near the Chandaka Wildlife Sanctuary in the eastern Indian Orissa state.

Ending a month-long ordeal of separation, the calf was finally reunited with its mother near a water body in Bharatpur forest range last Saturday on the outskirts of the state’s bustling capital city Bhubaneshwar.

The calf was named Kalinga, after it was rescued near the Kalinga film studio on May 5 in the outskirts of the city by forest rangers.The staff at the studio were surprised to find a baby elephant trapped in a pit in their backyard, who informed the officials for rescue.“We tried to reunite it with the herd the same day but were not successful.” Akshay Patanaik, the Divisional Forest Officer of Chandaka Wildlife Sanctuary said.

Since its rescue, wildlife experts have been speculating if it would be accepted by the herd. 

“Wild animals, especially elephants usually do not take back members of a herd once they come in contact with humans. In most cases of reunion, they have been accepted within 48 to 72 hours of separation.” Sandeep Kumar Tiwari of Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), who was part of the operation, said.

The 60 odd wild pachyderms in Chandaka live side by side with nearly a million humans surrounding the 193 sq. km. sanctuary. 52 villages border the park, while Bhubaneswar city is on its southern boundary.

Experts said rapid expansion of the city and widespread developmental activities have been a major source of elephant-human conflict.The rescued calf was shifted to a temporary shelter in Godibari, where she was treated for minor bruises. On June 13, the animal was brought back near the rescue site in Bharatpur range which has a water body popular for elephants, in the hope of reuniting it with the mother. The following day, a herd of 18 elephants accompanied by two young calves came to the site, when for the first time since her captivity Kalinga came in contact with a wild herd.

“Unfortunately, though they spent several hours together, they did not accept her,” Patanaik said. “But luckily next afternoon, the natal herd along with the mother visited the place, as if the other group had informed them about the calf”.   

“It was a very happy moment for all of us when the calf was at last united with the herd. They were together for sometime near the water body before they left at dusk.”

 Meanwhile, forest officials have formed six groups of trackers to monitor the calf, who would record the developments for next couple of weeks, to make sure if the animal is able to move with the herd and regain its vitality.

“One of the groups who have been following the calf saw her suckling milk from one of the elephants at regular intervals, a sure indication of the reunion.” Patanaik said.