Days after an elephant calf was reunited with its herd at the Anamalai Tiger Reserve, Supriya Sahu IAS, the state Environment and Forest Secretary, posted a heartwarming image of the little calf napping in the arms of its mother. The picture which was taken by the forest field staff shows the young calf taking an afternoon nap comfortably nestled in its mother's warm and gentle embrace.
''When a picture is worth a million words, the rescued baby elephant after uniting with the mother takes an afternoon nap in her mother's comforting arms before moving again with the big herd. Picture taken by Forest field staff somewhere in Anamalai Tiger reserve who are keeping a watch to ensure their safety,'' Ms Sahu wrote while sharing the picture.
See the image here:
Notably, the wild elephant calf which is 4-5 months old was found separated from its herd on December 30, 2023. The calf was discovered wandering alone, searching for its mother. A search party was sent to trace the herd from which the calf had separated and the herd was identified around 3 km away with the help of drones. The calf was safely taken to the spot, after which it was washed and mud was applied to it to remove any human imprint. The calf was subsequently released close to the herd, after which it reunited with its mother.
The picture has gone viral on the internet, leaving users emotional, who expressed their joy at seeing the beautiful sight. One user wrote, ''A baby elephant sleeping peacefully with its mother - a heartwarming reminder of the gentle, strong bond in the animal kingdom.''
Another commented, ''Credit to every TN forest department staff and volunteers who managed to reunite this calf with its mother. This picture is something that they will carry for generations. What a noble deed they have accomplished.''
A third said, ''In the gentle embrace of a mother's love, this rescued baby elephant finds solace and comfort. A picture that speaks volumes about the importance of compassion and protection.''
A fourth added, ''Heart is so full an absolute delight to see this reunion.''
