In a remarkable display of community compassion, residents of Ampara, Eastern Province, Sri Lanka, came together to rescue a baby elephant trapped in a well. The four-month-old calf had fallen into the six-foot-deep well while trying to drink water.
The incident began when locals heard the calf’s distress calls and discovered it stuck in the well. They quickly alerted the Forest and Wildlife Department, which dispatched a rescue team.
The rescue operation faced challenges, particularly due to the presence of the calf’s herd, including its protective mother, who stood guard nearby. To safely carry out the rescue, officials had to drive the elephants away temporarily.
Footage from the scene shows rescuers using a Backhoe machine to dig around the well and remove the upper cemented block, allowing the calf to be lifted. After five hours of determined effort, the rescue team freed the baby elephant.
Samara Simha, a local villager, explained, “Elephants often visit the area to drink water from the wells. The calf, part of a large herd, likely slipped into the well due to the high water level.”
Once the calf was safely out of the well, the team cleaned its injuries and applied ointment before reuniting it with its mother, who had been waiting nearby.
The two elephants returned to the nearby forest, concluding the five-hour rescue operation.
The collective effort of the villagers and rescue team highlights the strong bond between the local community and the wildlife they share their land with.
