Jalpaiguri: Five Jalpaiguri fishermen on a small row boat pulled off a miraculous rescue on the Teesta as they pulled up a newborn elephant calf on Monday. The calf had been swept away nearly 4 km downstream while its herd was crossing the river near Apalchand forest’s Kathambari range.Spotting the calf struggling to stay afloat, Bablu Das, Mithun Das, Kader Das, Biswanath and Gopal braved the swollen river’s strong currents and rowed their boat to the elephant. The calf was gasping for breath, with its little trunk raised above the water as the waves continued to push it further downstream.The fishermen managed to pull the calf onto the boat and handed it over to forest personnel upon reaching the bank. The calf was taken to the Kathambari range office, where it was given immediate veterinary care.Earlier on Monday, a herd of five elephants was moving upstream of the Gajoldoba Teesta Barrage when currents separated the calf. The fishermen spotted it floating near the 12th spur of the Teesta, close to the Punjab embankment.Following the rescue, teams from the Baikunthapur forest division began efforts to locate the mother. The calf was transported across the barrage to a dry stretch of the Teesta riverbed, where the herd was believed to have taken shelter.After nearly two hours of coordinated efforts of foresters, locals and fishermen, the calf was successfully reunited with its mother. The mother elephant approached the calf and was later seen nursing it.Baikunthapur DFO Mudit lauded the fishermen for their timely action, saying it was crucial for the reunion. Elephants often don’t take back calves into the herd if they are exposed to humans for long. During the north Bengal floods last Oct, a calf rescued from Mechi river was rejected by its herd.
