<p>A top court in the United States has delivered a landmark judgement in a case that argued whether human rights are also applicable for animals. The court in New York ruled that Happy, an elephant who is the resident of Bronx Zoo since the 1970s, cannot be considered a human being legally and as a result, the rights will not be the same for Happy as it is for a person. It was a blow to an animal rights group known as the Nonhuman Rights Project who filed the case in hope of releasing the elephant from the Bronx Zoo.&nbsp; The argument from the group was that Happy is an autonomous, cognitively complex elephant who should enjoy rights same as a human, according to The Guardian.</p>

<p>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-to-back-russia-on-sovereignty-and-security-xi-jinping-tells-vladimir-putin-488469" hreflang="en">China to back Russia on 'sovereignty and security', Xi tells Putin</a></p>

<p>The official ruling, written by Chief Judge Janet DiFiore, said that “while no one disputes that elephants are intelligent beings deserving of proper care and compassion”, the rules and rights that apply to human beings cannot be extended to the elephant in these circumstances.</p>

<p>Happy was born in Asia and the elephant was brought to New York as an old-year-old along with Grumpy, a fellow elephant. The zoo authorities expressed their relief at the ruling as they feared that a ruling in favour of Happy can result in similar cases about other animals in the facility.</p>

<p>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nord-stream-gas-deliveries-to-be-cut-by-a-third-announces-gazprom-488496">Gazprom makes more cuts in Nord Stream gas supplies, Germany fumes</a></p>

<p>This is the second time that the case of Happy went to court after a lower court had already denied human rights to the elephant. The court earlier observed that the ruling in favour of Happy “would have an enormous destabilizing impact on modern society”.</p>

<p>“Indeed, followed to its logical conclusion, such a determination would call into question the very premises underlying pet ownership, the use of service animals, and the enlistment of animals in other forms of work,” read the decision according to The Guardian report.</p>

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A top court in the United States has delivered a landmark judgement in a case that argued whether human rights are also applicable for animals. The court in New York ruled that Happy, an elephant who is the resident of Bronx Zoo since the 1970s, cannot be considered a human being legally and as a result, the rights will not be the same for Happy as it is for a person.

A top court in the United States has delivered a landmark judgement in a case that argued whether human rights are also applicable for animals. The court in New York ruled that Happy, an elephant who is the resident of Bronx Zoo since the 1970s, cannot be considered a human being legally and as a result, the rights will not be the same for Happy as it is for a person. It was a blow to an animal rights group known as the Nonhuman Rights Project who filed the case in hope of releasing the elephant from the Bronx Zoo. The argument from the group was that Happy is an autonomous, cognitively complex elephant who should enjoy rights same as a human, according to The Guardian. Also read | China to back Russia on 'sovereignty and security', Xi tells Putin The official ruling, written by Chief Judge Janet DiFiore, said that “while no one disputes that elephants are intelligent beings deserving of proper care and compassion”, the rules and rights that apply to human beings cannot be extended to the elephant in these circumstances. Happy was born in Asia and the elephant was brought to New York as an old-year-old along with Grumpy, a fellow elephant. The zoo authorities expressed their relief at the ruling as they feared that a ruling in favour of Happy can result in similar cases about other animals in the facility. Also read | Gazprom makes more cuts in Nord Stream gas supplies, Germany fumes This is the second time that the case of Happy went to court after a lower court had already denied human rights to the elephant. The court earlier observed that the ruling in favour of Happy “would have an enormous destabilizing impact on modern society”. “Indeed, followed to its logical conclusion, such a determination would call into question the very premises underlying pet ownership, the use of service animals, and the enlistment of animals in other forms of work,” read the decision according to The Guardian report. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Happy the elephant is not a person, New York court rules in major animal rights case

Are you fond of hilarious videos featuring animals? The ones that show these furry creatures doing one antic or the other? The world is full of weird incidents involving animals. But did you know that a number of court cases too had them as the perpetrator or the defendant? Here are some interesting ones.

Bees that are fish, to the elephant that's human: Five defining cases in animal rights

According to the experts, an elephant named 'Happy' is not happy at all. The 49-years-old is currently living in a one acre enclosure at the Bronx Zoo in New York City. Soon she might be the first animal recognised to have personhood.

Case to free 'Happy' the elephant to be heard in New York court

<p>An elephant named Happy is, in fact, anything but happy. And the state of the 51-year-old jumbo has caused consternation among the animal rights activists who have filed a habeas corpus plea at an appeals court in New York against her solitary confinement.</p>

<p>According to reports, the beloved Asian tusker had been living in 0.4 acre enclosure at the Bronx Zoo in New York City since 2006.</p>

<p>But the Florida-based Nonhuman Rights Project (NRP), which has filed the plea on the elephant’s behalf, claimed that the animal is being illegally detained in small confinement against her will.</p>

<p>The group wants Happy to be released to one of two elephant sanctuaries in the United States.</p>

<p>They said the elephant was entitled to habeas corpus, a legal process in which illegally detained people or someone acting on their behalf may inquire about the reason they are being held.</p>

<p>But the habeas corpus law in the city does not view animals as "person," and the group said Happy should be recognised as one.</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Case to free 'Happy' the elephant to be heard in New York court</strong></p>

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<p>“It's now time to have nonhuman animals such as Happy to be seen not as a thing but as a person who has the capacity for rights," Steven Wise, founder and president of the Nonhuman Rights Project, told Reuters.</p>

<p>However, the authorities at the Bronze Zoo claimed that Happy has been well cared for and added that moving her to a sanctuary would not “serve her interests”.</p>

<p>"The blatant exploitation of Happy the elephant by NRP to advance their coordinated agenda shows no concern for the individual animal," the Bronx Zoo said in a statement on Wednesday, using an acronym for the animal rights group. "Their concern is winning a legal argument, not what is best for Happy."</p>

<p>A New York trial court in February 2020 dismissed the original petition, calling Happy an "intelligent, autonomous being" who "may be entitled to liberty," but not legally a person. An appeals court later upheld that ruling.</p>

<p>The hearing in front of the Albany-based Court of Appeals is scheduled for 2 pm (1800 GMT).</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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An elephant named Happy is, in fact, anything but happy. And the state of the 51-year-old jumbo has caused consternation among the animal rights activists who have filed a habeas corpus plea at an appeals court in New York against her solitary confinement.

An elephant named Happy is, in fact, anything but happy. And the state of the 51-year-old jumbo has caused consternation among the animal rights activists who have filed a habeas corpus plea at an appeals court in New York against her solitary confinement. According to reports, the beloved Asian tusker had been living in 0.4 acre enclosure at the Bronx Zoo in New York City since 2006. But the Florida-based Nonhuman Rights Project (NRP), which has filed the plea on the elephant’s behalf, claimed that the animal is being illegally detained in small confinement against her will. The group wants Happy to be released to one of two elephant sanctuaries in the United States. They said the elephant was entitled to habeas corpus, a legal process in which illegally detained people or someone acting on their behalf may inquire about the reason they are being held. But the habeas corpus law in the city does not view animals as "person," and the group said Happy should be recognised as one. Watch | Case to free 'Happy' the elephant to be heard in New York court “It's now time to have nonhuman animals such as Happy to be seen not as a thing but as a person who has the capacity for rights," Steven Wise, founder and president of the Nonhuman Rights Project, told Reuters. However, the authorities at the Bronze Zoo claimed that Happy has been well cared for and added that moving her to a sanctuary would not “serve her interests”. "The blatant exploitation of Happy the elephant by NRP to advance their coordinated agenda shows no concern for the individual animal," the Bronx Zoo said in a statement on Wednesday, using an acronym for the animal rights group. "Their concern is winning a legal argument, not what is best for Happy." A New York trial court in February 2020 dismissed the original petition, calling Happy an "intelligent, autonomous being" who "may be entitled to liberty," but not legally a person. An appeals court later upheld that ruling. The hearing in front of the Albany-based Court of Appeals is scheduled for 2 pm (1800 GMT). (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Happy the elephant is not happy! US court to weigh in habeas corpus for animal rights

<p>Sri Lanka lost its most sacred elephant at the age of 68, triggering an outpouring of grief and a presidential order for his remains to be preserved and stuffed “for future generations”.</p>

<p>On Monday, thousands of mourners gathered on the outskirts of Colombo to pay their last respects to Nadungamuwa Vijaya Raja, popularly known as Raja—considered to be the largest tamed elephant in Asia.</p>

<p>According to The Guardian, the sacred tusker was handed over to taxidermists later on Monday for stuffing after Buddhist funeral rites were performed.</p>

<p>Raja, born in the southern Indian city of Mysore in 1953, was one of two elephant calves gifted by the Mysore king to a Sri Lankan physician monk to thank him for curing one of king’s relatives of an illness.</p>

<p>As a young calf, he had been “chosen” among the elite elephants to carry the sacred Buddhist relics during an annual parade in Sri Lanka.</p>

<p>For over a decade, Raja’s carried&nbsp;the casket containing the holy tooth relic of Lord Buddha during the annual procession of Esala, an important religious pageant for the country’s Buddhist majority which takes place in July during the full moon in Kandy city.</p>

<p>Though not in consideration right now, choosing a successor to Nadungamuwa Raja is expected to be a lengthy process.</p>

<p>According to the tradition, only certain elephants with very specific physical traits can be selected for this holy role.&nbsp;The chosen elephant has to be from a particular caste with special physical characteristics to qualify.</p>

<p>President Gotabaya Rajapksa declared Raja to be a “national treasure” and said that after the Buddhist last rites had been performed on the elephant, his cadaver would be handed over to taxidermists who would stuff it for posterity. He will be given full state honours for his funeral.</p>

<p>(With inputs from agencies)</p>


Sri Lanka lost its most sacred elephant at the age of 68, triggering an outpouring of grief and a presidential order for his remains to be preserved and stuffed “for future generations”.

Sri Lanka lost its most sacred elephant at the age of 68, triggering an outpouring of grief and a presidential order for his remains to be preserved and stuffed “for future generations”. On Monday, thousands of mourners gathered on the outskirts of Colombo to pay their last respects to Nadungamuwa Vijaya Raja, popularly known as Raja—considered to be the largest tamed elephant in Asia. According to The Guardian, the sacred tusker was handed over to taxidermists later on Monday for stuffing after Buddhist funeral rites were performed. Raja, born in the southern Indian city of Mysore in 1953, was one of two elephant calves gifted by the Mysore king to a Sri Lankan physician monk to thank him for curing one of king’s relatives of an illness. As a young calf, he had been “chosen” among the elite elephants to carry the sacred Buddhist relics during an annual parade in Sri Lanka. For over a decade, Raja’s carried the casket containing the holy tooth relic of Lord Buddha during the annual procession of Esala, an important religious pageant for the country’s Buddhist majority which takes place in July during the full moon in Kandy city. Though not in consideration right now, choosing a successor to Nadungamuwa Raja is expected to be a lengthy process. According to the tradition, only certain elephants with very specific physical traits can be selected for this holy role. The chosen elephant has to be from a particular caste with special physical characteristics to qualify. President Gotabaya Rajapksa declared Raja to be a “national treasure” and said that after the Buddhist last rites had been performed on the elephant, his cadaver would be handed over to taxidermists who would stuff it for posterity. He will be given full state honours for his funeral. (With inputs from agencies)

‘National treasure’: Sri Lanka’s sacred elephant dies at 68, prez orders state funeral

<p>Conservationists are keeping their fingers crossed as they are cautious after the birth of rare elephant twins at a reserve in Kenya. The next couple of weeks will be crucial for Samburu's cute twins who became an internet sensation, captivating audiences globally.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Twins are rarely encountered in elephant populations — and form around only 1% of births," zoologist and Save the Elephants founder Iain Douglas-Hamilton said in a statement. He added, "Quite often the mothers don't have enough milk to support two calves."</p>

<p><strong>IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/stunning-images-from-underwater-lion-dance-at-malaysian-aquarium-days-before-chinese-new-year-446478">Stunning images from underwater lion dance at Malaysian aquarium days before Chinese New Year</a></strong></p>

<p>In an Instagram post, he said, "The survival of the twins depends very much on the quality of the grass and vegetation and the experience of the matriarch."</p>

<p>"This mother has had successful experience of raising a calf before and the fact that it has rained recently the grass is green in Samburu and gives the little twins a greater chance of survival ... We have to cross our fingers, but we are cautiously hopeful," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/pics-indian-states-forest-department-pays-last-respect-to-collarwali-tigress-445428">Pics: Indian state's forest department pays last respect to 'Collarwali' tigress</a></strong></p>

<p>The calves are yet unnamed. They were born this week in the Samburu National Reserve, becoming only the second set of twin calves ever encountered by local charity Save the Elephants.</p>

<p>Bora, mother of the twins is herself 16 years old. Guides caught a rare sighting of a mother elephant and her newborn baby twins on camera on Monday (January 17).</p>

<p>The birth of twins has only been recorded once before in the park in 2006. In that case, both calves died shortly after birth.&nbsp;</p>

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Conservationists are keeping their fingers crossed as they are cautious after the birth of rare elephant twins at a reserve in Kenya. The next couple of weeks will be crucial for Samburu's cute twins who became an internet sensation, captivating audiences globally.

Conservationists are keeping their fingers crossed as they are cautious after the birth of rare elephant twins at a reserve in Kenya. The next couple of weeks will be crucial for Samburu's cute twins who became an internet sensation, captivating audiences globally. "Twins are rarely encountered in elephant populations — and form around only 1% of births," zoologist and Save the Elephants founder Iain Douglas-Hamilton said in a statement. He added, "Quite often the mothers don't have enough milk to support two calves." IN PICS | Stunning images from underwater lion dance at Malaysian aquarium days before Chinese New Year In an Instagram post, he said, "The survival of the twins depends very much on the quality of the grass and vegetation and the experience of the matriarch." "This mother has had successful experience of raising a calf before and the fact that it has rained recently the grass is green in Samburu and gives the little twins a greater chance of survival ... We have to cross our fingers, but we are cautiously hopeful," he added. IN PICS | Pics: Indian state's forest department pays last respect to 'Collarwali' tigress The calves are yet unnamed. They were born this week in the Samburu National Reserve, becoming only the second set of twin calves ever encountered by local charity Save the Elephants. Bora, mother of the twins is herself 16 years old. Guides caught a rare sighting of a mother elephant and her newborn baby twins on camera on Monday (January 17). The birth of twins has only been recorded once before in the park in 2006. In that case, both calves died shortly after birth. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Save The Elephants (@savetheelephants) ×

'Fingers crossed': Conservationists hopeful over the survival of rare elephant twins

<p>The story of a wild elephant which has been doing rounds on the internet has left netizens in complete awe. Sheldrick wildlife trust took to their official Instagram handle and posted a video of an elephant family.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It explains the story of a mama elephant, Icholta, who stayed in the rescue centre as a kid. She&nbsp;has now returned to her home to show her new baby to the caretakers.</p>

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<p>Icholta was rescued from a waterhole when she was just weeks old. She then spent her infancy at the nursery until she learned how to live as a wild elephant.</p>

<p>The caption read, "She became a mother to Inca in 2016, and barely a day into 2022, she returned “home” to introduce us to her latest addition, baby Izzy! In this video, you can see the pride beaming from Icholta’s face as she looks upon her son and daughter — and we feel equally proud to watch this family flourish."</p>

<p>The wholesome video has left the netizens stunned as they give their blessings to the elephant family.</p>

<p>"I marvel at the way formerly rescued moms return to share their new babies with their former caregivers! I love elephants so much and wish we humans would learn from them how to love and protect each other," wrote an Instagram user.&nbsp;</p>


The story of a wild elephant which has been doing rounds on the internet has left netizens in complete awe. Sheldrick wildlife trust took to their official Instagram handle and posted a video of an elephant family.

The story of a wild elephant which has been doing rounds on the internet has left netizens in complete awe. Sheldrick wildlife trust took to their official Instagram handle and posted a video of an elephant family. It explains the story of a mama elephant, Icholta, who stayed in the rescue centre as a kid. She has now returned to her home to show her new baby to the caretakers. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (@sheldricktrust) × Icholta was rescued from a waterhole when she was just weeks old. She then spent her infancy at the nursery until she learned how to live as a wild elephant. The caption read, "She became a mother to Inca in 2016, and barely a day into 2022, she returned “home” to introduce us to her latest addition, baby Izzy! In this video, you can see the pride beaming from Icholta’s face as she looks upon her son and daughter — and we feel equally proud to watch this family flourish." The wholesome video has left the netizens stunned as they give their blessings to the elephant family. "I marvel at the way formerly rescued moms return to share their new babies with their former caregivers! I love elephants so much and wish we humans would learn from them how to love and protect each other," wrote an Instagram user.

Watch: Wild elephant returns to her rescue centre to show her new born calf

A herd of elephants in Santa Claus costumes brought gifts of face masks and hand sanitiser to primary school students in central Thailand on Christmas Eve.

Elephants in Santa costumes bring gifts to children in central Thailand

Santas on elephants brings Thai school kids face masks, hand sanitiser

<p>A heartwrenching video of a mother elephant trying to revive her three-year-old dead calf has gone viral on social media.</p>

<p>The tragic video from Kerala shows a tusker lying down on the ground and groaning in agony after getting electrocuted.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Heart-wrenching! A mother elephant tries to wake a three-year-old dead calf after the tusker came in contact with an electric wire in Palakkad district of the southern Indian state of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kerala?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kerala</a><br />
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(Disclaimer: Some viewers may find the video disturbing) <a href="https://t.co/RKZ6O3kRfS">pic.twitter.com/RKZ6O3kRfS</a></p>
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<p>The elephant's mother can be seen using its trunk to poke and prod its calf in order to help it get up.</p>

<p>Officials in the forests at Malampuzha near Palakkad district said that the exact cause of the death will be known after the post-mortem.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/elephant-killed-after-being-fed-with-pineapple-stuffed-with-crackers-303011"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Elephant killed after being fed with pineapple stuffed with crackers</strong></a></p>

<p>''There was a live wire that connected to a borewell, and the elephant seems to have come in contact with it,'' said Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Kurra Srinivas.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, residents said the herd of elephants had entered a private estate where the calf tried to chew the wire of an electric pump and got a shock as a result.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/how-indian-forest-officials-attempted-to-reunite-a-baby-elephant-that-was-separated-from-its-herd-419236"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;How Indian Forest officials attempted to reunite a baby elephant that was separated from its herd</strong></a></p>

<p>The incident triggered tension in the area with a large number of people gathering to see the dead elephant.</p>

<p>An inquiry has been launched to check whether rules were followed or there were any lapses.</p>

<p>Last year, a pregnant elephant in the same state had died after it was fed a pineapple stuffed with crackers.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


A heartwrenching video of a mother elephant trying to revive her three-year-old dead calf has gone viral on social media. The tragic video from Kerala shows a tusker lying down on the ground and groaning in agony after getting electrocuted.

A heartwrenching video of a mother elephant trying to revive her three-year-old dead calf has gone viral on social media. The tragic video from Kerala shows a tusker lying down on the ground and groaning in agony after getting electrocuted. Heart-wrenching! A mother elephant tries to wake a three-year-old dead calf after the tusker came in contact with an electric wire in Palakkad district of the southern Indian state of #Kerala (Disclaimer: Some viewers may find the video disturbing) pic.twitter.com/RKZ6O3kRfS — WION (@WIONews) November 17, 2021 × The elephant's mother can be seen using its trunk to poke and prod its calf in order to help it get up. Officials in the forests at Malampuzha near Palakkad district said that the exact cause of the death will be known after the post-mortem. Also read | Elephant killed after being fed with pineapple stuffed with crackers ''There was a live wire that connected to a borewell, and the elephant seems to have come in contact with it,'' said Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Kurra Srinivas. Meanwhile, residents said the herd of elephants had entered a private estate where the calf tried to chew the wire of an electric pump and got a shock as a result. Also read | How Indian Forest officials attempted to reunite a baby elephant that was separated from its herd The incident triggered tension in the area with a large number of people gathering to see the dead elephant. An inquiry has been launched to check whether rules were followed or there were any lapses. Last year, a pregnant elephant in the same state had died after it was fed a pineapple stuffed with crackers. (With inputs from agencies)

Watch: This mom elephant is trying to revive offspring struck down by electric wire in India

<p>According to senior Forest department officials, they have succeeded in an attempt to reunite a baby elephant with its herd, near the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu’s Nilgiris. Forest staff who were on rounds on Tuesday morning found the baby elephant stuck in the mud, in the Cherambadi forest range, following which they attempted some measures to reunite the elephant with its group.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The major challenge in reuniting baby elephants that are separated from their herd, is that - the herd must be somewhere in the vicinity of the lost baby for an easy reunion, else the baby won’t be accepted by other herds of elephants. In cases where the baby cannot be reunited with the herd, forest officials would have to take the elephant captive and raise it in a captive elephant camp.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In this case, the forest staff left the baby elephant near what was suspected to be its own herd, but the baby came back running to the humans, owing to heavy rain and mist. On the following day, the officials are said to have used a small rope and tied the baby elephant near the spot where it was first found. This was done in the hope that the herd would find the baby based on its trumpeting calls.&nbsp;</p>

<p>When forest officials returned to the same spot, they found just the rope and telltale signs of a herd of elephants having visited the spot - its footprints, slanted vegetation, and thickets etc. Thus, the officials partially confirmed that the elephant was reunited with its herd. However, amid the inclement weather in the region, they are also following the herd from a distance to confirm visually if the baby is back in the pack.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Supriya Sahu, IAS, Principal Secretary, Environment, Climate Change &amp; Forests, Tamil Nadu Govt, had tweeted out videos of the rescue of the baby elephant and the attempts made to reunite it with the herd.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Incredible outpouring of love on the kutty baby elephant who was reunited with the herd by <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TNForesters?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TNForesters</a>. The kutty blows a big trumpet while approaching the mother.Well done Sachin,Vengatesh Prabhu,Prasad,Vijay,George Praveenson,Thamba Kumar,Aneesh,Kumar, &amp; APW teams Pandalur <a href="https://t.co/0fQaZKnpDg">pic.twitter.com/0fQaZKnpDg</a></p>
— Supriya Sahu IAS (@supriyasahuias) <a href="https://twitter.com/supriyasahuias/status/1445980850240176128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">A kutty baby elephant was reunited with the family after rescue by TN foresters in Mudumalai. Most heartwarming indeed. Kudos 👍👏 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TNForest?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TNForest</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/elephants?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#elephants</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/mudumalai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#mudumalai</a> <a href="https://t.co/eX9gBd3oK7">pic.twitter.com/eX9gBd3oK7</a></p>
— Supriya Sahu IAS (@supriyasahuias) <a href="https://twitter.com/supriyasahuias/status/1445786003591942150?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>Generally, elephant herds consist of females, babies, and sub-adult (8-10-year old) males. Around the age of 12, the male elephants leave the herd and head out on their own as independent tuskers.</p>


According to senior Forest department officials, they have succeeded in an attempt to reunite a baby elephant with its herd, near the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu’s Nilgiris.

According to senior Forest department officials, they have succeeded in an attempt to reunite a baby elephant with its herd, near the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu’s Nilgiris. Forest staff who were on rounds on Tuesday morning found the baby elephant stuck in the mud, in the Cherambadi forest range, following which they attempted some measures to reunite the elephant with its group. The major challenge in reuniting baby elephants that are separated from their herd, is that - the herd must be somewhere in the vicinity of the lost baby for an easy reunion, else the baby won’t be accepted by other herds of elephants. In cases where the baby cannot be reunited with the herd, forest officials would have to take the elephant captive and raise it in a captive elephant camp. In this case, the forest staff left the baby elephant near what was suspected to be its own herd, but the baby came back running to the humans, owing to heavy rain and mist. On the following day, the officials are said to have used a small rope and tied the baby elephant near the spot where it was first found. This was done in the hope that the herd would find the baby based on its trumpeting calls. When forest officials returned to the same spot, they found just the rope and telltale signs of a herd of elephants having visited the spot - its footprints, slanted vegetation, and thickets etc. Thus, the officials partially confirmed that the elephant was reunited with its herd. However, amid the inclement weather in the region, they are also following the herd from a distance to confirm visually if the baby is back in the pack. Supriya Sahu, IAS, Principal Secretary, Environment, Climate Change & Forests, Tamil Nadu Govt, had tweeted out videos of the rescue of the baby elephant and the attempts made to reunite it with the herd. Incredible outpouring of love on the kutty baby elephant who was reunited with the herd by #TNForesters. The kutty blows a big trumpet while approaching the mother.Well done Sachin,Vengatesh Prabhu,Prasad,Vijay,George Praveenson,Thamba Kumar,Aneesh,Kumar, & APW teams Pandalur pic.twitter.com/0fQaZKnpDg — Supriya Sahu IAS (@supriyasahuias) October 7, 2021 × A kutty baby elephant was reunited with the family after rescue by TN foresters in Mudumalai. Most heartwarming indeed. Kudos 👍👏 #TNForest #elephants #mudumalai pic.twitter.com/eX9gBd3oK7 — Supriya Sahu IAS (@supriyasahuias) October 6, 2021 × Generally, elephant herds consist of females, babies, and sub-adult (8-10-year old) males. Around the age of 12, the male elephants leave the herd and head out on their own as independent tuskers.

How Indian Forest officials attempted to reunite a baby elephant that was separated from its herd

<p>Ma Mingliang rarely encountered wild elephants while growing up in southwestern China, after centuries of hunting and deforestation nearly eradicated them. Today, the 42-year-old village chief barricades his community to keep them out.</p>

<p>A wandering herd of Asian elephants has captivated China for more than a year with a remarkable trek northwards through farms and cities hundreds of kilometres from their normal range in Yunnan province.</p>

<p>But an elephant in the street is now a common sight for residents of the animals' home territory on the Myanmar-Laos border, where a recovering elephant population is being squeezed into ever-shrinking habitat, leading to more conflict with humans.</p>

<p><a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/trending/watch-why-did-a-herd-of-elephants-recently-travel-500-kms-in-china-389003" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/trending/watch-why-did-a-herd-of-elephants-recently-travel-500-kms-in-china-389003&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiqhsyurr3yAhUcyzgGHXgJC30QFjAAegQIAxAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2MgYPDdSH_0FF20d6X-hHz" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/watch-why-did-a-herd-of-elephants-recently-travel-500-kms-in-china-389003" target="_blank">Watch: Why did a herd of&nbsp;<b>elephants</b>&nbsp;recently travel 500 kms in China</a></p>

<p>The tension is immediately apparent in Ma's village in Xishuangbanna, a subtropical prefecture the size of a small country where China's elephant population congregates.</p>

<p>The neatly ordered homes of the little community, called Xiangyanqing, climb up a gently sloping hillside, dotted by signs promoting human-elephant "harmony" and encircled by a steel fence separating it from adjacent jungle.</p>

<p>The village of rubber-tappers is entered through a wide steel gate that clangs shut at night, when hunger activates the elephants.</p>

<p><strong>'There is conflict'</strong></p>

<p>Still, they regularly find their way in, putting the village in lockdown until the potentially dangerous trespassers wander out, usually after raiding fruit and vegetable gardens.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/world/the-tale-of-chinas-trek-loving-wild-asian-elephants-397633" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/the-tale-of-chinas-trek-loving-wild-asian-elephants-397633&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiqhsyurr3yAhUcyzgGHXgJC30QFjACegQIBhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw3_jCq4nifyPfZc28N0Z6ZH" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/the-tale-of-chinas-trek-loving-wild-asian-elephants-397633" target="_blank">The tale of China's trek-loving wild Asian&nbsp;elephants</a></strong></p>

<p>"Things used to be harmonious before. But there is conflict now," Ma said dryly.</p>

<p>Ironically, successful conservation is partly to blame.</p>

<p>Asian elephants, which range across South and Southeast Asia, were nearly exterminated within China, leaving only around 150 in Xishuangbanna by the 1980s.</p>

<p>Conservationists say a 1988 hunting ban and strict protection of a sprinkling of fragmented elephant reserves has turned things around.</p>

<p>With no natural enemies, the population has doubled to more than 300 and counting.</p>

<p>"Compared to when we were kids, there are more baby elephants in the herds now," Ma said.</p>

<p>Weighing up to four tons, they consume as much as 200 kilogrammes (440 pounds) of food daily.</p>

<p>Increasingly, filling up means a raid on a local farm.</p>

<p>Elephants inflict an estimated 20 million yuan ($3 million) in annual economic losses.</p>

<p>The devoured crops and damaged homes in Xishuangbanna are the prefecture's biggest source of insurance claims, said Zhang Li, an ecology professor at Beijing Normal University involved in elephant conservation policy.</p>

<p>And they killed at least 41 people between 2013 and 2019, Zhang said. Many more are injured each year.</p>

<p>Attacks, typically by protective mothers or volatile lone young males, can resemble grisly crime scenes.</p>

<p>State media reports on recent cases describe victims being trampled by the surprisingly fast-moving beasts and bludgeoned or throttled by their strong trunks, leaving bones shattered, skulls cracked, and bodies gruesomely dismembered.</p>

<p><strong>Habitat loss</strong></p>

<p>Communist Party media portrays the 14 wandering elephants -– now pointed homeward after an 18-month odyssey -- as lovable symbols of China's conservation success.</p>

<p>But Chinese scientists say growing habitat loss is part of the problem.</p>

<p>Authorities have been forced to address safety risks.</p>

<p>Xishuangbanna in 2019 installed a high-tech grid covering hundreds of square kilometres that uses stationary cameras to relay elephant sightings to a command centre, which sends out warnings to communities.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The drill: get indoors, hide upstairs out of reach, and don't approach the beasts or use firecrackers to drive them off, which may anger them.</p>

<p>Throughout Xishuangbanna, statues and other imagery celebrate its leading residents -- while stressing giving them a wide berth.</p>

<p>Villagers are adapting.</p>

<p>For decades, Lu Zhengrong's hilltop farming settlement grew rice, corn and other staples, but years of elephant raids prompted a shift.</p>

<p>"The wild elephants became too troublesome and numerous, so we've switched to growing what they don't eat, like tea or rubber," Lu said.</p>

<p>That, however, is accelerating habitat loss, said the ecologist Zhang.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Surging demand for rubber and tea has caused plantations to steadily expand into lands traditionally roamed by elephants but which lack official state protection, squeezing them into protected but increasingly isolated pockets.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Inevitably, they roam out.</p>

<p><strong>'We need balance'</strong></p>

<p>Exactly why the 14 wanderers made their mammoth trek northward remains a mystery.</p>

<p>But Zhang said "loss and fragmentation of their habitat may be the root cause," exacerbated by competition for wild food sources as elephant numbers increase.</p>

<p>Things may worsen as climate change is projected to further reduce habitat, he added.</p>

<p>China is devising a new national park system to bolster habitat protection for key species like pandas and tigers.</p>

<p>A Xishuangbanna elephant national park has been proposed by Chinese scientists, but it faces a key obstacle.</p>

<p>A viable park would require the expensive and politically tricky task of reclaiming farmland and relocating hundreds of thousands of residents to link up pockets of habitat.</p>

<p>Until then, residents must live with the elephants.</p>

<p>"I can't say we like it," said Lu.</p>

<p>"But we need balance between this animal and people. We have to protect them."</p>


Ma Mingliang rarely encountered wild elephants while growing up in southwestern China, after centuries of hunting and deforestation nearly eradicated them. Today, the 42-year-old village chief barricades his community to keep them out.

Ma Mingliang rarely encountered wild elephants while growing up in southwestern China, after centuries of hunting and deforestation nearly eradicated them. Today, the 42-year-old village chief barricades his community to keep them out. A wandering herd of Asian elephants has captivated China for more than a year with a remarkable trek northwards through farms and cities hundreds of kilometres from their normal range in Yunnan province. But an elephant in the street is now a common sight for residents of the animals' home territory on the Myanmar-Laos border, where a recovering elephant population is being squeezed into ever-shrinking habitat, leading to more conflict with humans. Watch: Why did a herd of elephants recently travel 500 kms in China The tension is immediately apparent in Ma's village in Xishuangbanna, a subtropical prefecture the size of a small country where China's elephant population congregates. The neatly ordered homes of the little community, called Xiangyanqing, climb up a gently sloping hillside, dotted by signs promoting human-elephant "harmony" and encircled by a steel fence separating it from adjacent jungle. The village of rubber-tappers is entered through a wide steel gate that clangs shut at night, when hunger activates the elephants. 'There is conflict' Still, they regularly find their way in, putting the village in lockdown until the potentially dangerous trespassers wander out, usually after raiding fruit and vegetable gardens. Also read: The tale of China's trek-loving wild Asian elephants "Things used to be harmonious before. But there is conflict now," Ma said dryly. Ironically, successful conservation is partly to blame. Asian elephants, which range across South and Southeast Asia, were nearly exterminated within China, leaving only around 150 in Xishuangbanna by the 1980s. Conservationists say a 1988 hunting ban and strict protection of a sprinkling of fragmented elephant reserves has turned things around. With no natural enemies, the population has doubled to more than 300 and counting. "Compared to when we were kids, there are more baby elephants in the herds now," Ma said. Weighing up to four tons, they consume as much as 200 kilogrammes (440 pounds) of food daily. Increasingly, filling up means a raid on a local farm. Elephants inflict an estimated 20 million yuan ($3 million) in annual economic losses. The devoured crops and damaged homes in Xishuangbanna are the prefecture's biggest source of insurance claims, said Zhang Li, an ecology professor at Beijing Normal University involved in elephant conservation policy. And they killed at least 41 people between 2013 and 2019, Zhang said. Many more are injured each year. Attacks, typically by protective mothers or volatile lone young males, can resemble grisly crime scenes. State media reports on recent cases describe victims being trampled by the surprisingly fast-moving beasts and bludgeoned or throttled by their strong trunks, leaving bones shattered, skulls cracked, and bodies gruesomely dismembered. Habitat loss Communist Party media portrays the 14 wandering elephants -– now pointed homeward after an 18-month odyssey -- as lovable symbols of China's conservation success. But Chinese scientists say growing habitat loss is part of the problem. Authorities have been forced to address safety risks. Xishuangbanna in 2019 installed a high-tech grid covering hundreds of square kilometres that uses stationary cameras to relay elephant sightings to a command centre, which sends out warnings to communities. The drill: get indoors, hide upstairs out of reach, and don't approach the beasts or use firecrackers to drive them off, which may anger them. Throughout Xishuangbanna, statues and other imagery celebrate its leading residents -- while stressing giving them a wide berth. Villagers are adapting. For decades, Lu Zhengrong's hilltop farming settlement grew rice, corn and other staples, but years of elephant raids prompted a shift. "The wild elephants became too troublesome and numerous, so we've switched to growing what they don't eat, like tea or rubber," Lu said. That, however, is accelerating habitat loss, said the ecologist Zhang. Surging demand for rubber and tea has caused plantations to steadily expand into lands traditionally roamed by elephants but which lack official state protection, squeezing them into protected but increasingly isolated pockets. Inevitably, they roam out. 'We need balance' Exactly why the 14 wanderers made their mammoth trek northward remains a mystery. But Zhang said "loss and fragmentation of their habitat may be the root cause," exacerbated by competition for wild food sources as elephant numbers increase. Things may worsen as climate change is projected to further reduce habitat, he added. China is devising a new national park system to bolster habitat protection for key species like pandas and tigers. A Xishuangbanna elephant national park has been proposed by Chinese scientists, but it faces a key obstacle. A viable park would require the expensive and politically tricky task of reclaiming farmland and relocating hundreds of thousands of residents to link up pockets of habitat. Until then, residents must live with the elephants. "I can't say we like it," said Lu. "But we need balance between this animal and people. We have to protect them."

China villagers learn to live with the elephant in the room

World Elephant Day 2021: Save the species before its too late

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="3">In a significant development, ‘Rivaldo’, a wild tusker that had been under captive treatment at a camp in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, was released into the jungle during the wee hours of Monday. Nearly three months ago, the Tamil Nadu Forest Department captured the elephant, as it kept venturing into human habitations in search of food. It was suspected that the elephant had an injury, which prevented it from feeding in the wild.&nbsp;</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="7">The Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, located in the ecologically sensitive Nilgiris district in Tamil Nadu, is at the tri-junction of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. It is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna. Animals such as tigers, leopards, elephants, Indian Gaur (bison), and sloth bears are often sighted at the reserve.<br />
<br />
<strong>Watch:</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/tusker-rivaldo-back-in-natural-habitat-after-treatment-in-captivity-402467/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="8">On being captured, Rivaldo was put into a ‘kraal’ (a wooden log enclosure specially made for treating elephants). Generally, elephants that are put into a kraal are trained and domesticated for use as semi-wild elephants. They are either placed in forest department-run camps -as safari elephants or as Kumki elephants (trained elephants used to tame/control other elephants). Being put in a Kraal has often meant the end of a wild elephant’s natural way of life.<br />
<br />
<img alt="Wild tusker" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0cf815b2-50e3-4efe-9b48-1fa1150e9cc6" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/elephant1.jpg" /></p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="9">In this case, based on input from multiple committees and expert opinion, it was decided to rehabilitate the tusker into a suitable location in the wild. Based on the discussions and plans drawn up over the last 25 days, a team from the Forest Department transferred the elephant from the kraal to a customised vehicle. The operation, which began at 3 am on Monday, involved moving the truck-borne elephant slowly to an ideal location (a journey of nearly 35kms), with adequate safety measures in place.&nbsp;</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="10">According to Supriya Sahu, IAS, Principal Secretary, Environment and Forests, TN, the radio-collared tusker was released into the wild at around 9:30 am. "We have used a German-made radio collar that is linked with satellites to provide hourly location updates on the elephant. Our monitoring centre gets the signal every hour and we get to know how far he has travelled and the exact location. This helps ensure the tuskers' safety and tracks their movement in the wild, " she added.&nbsp;</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="11">Officials had to follow multiple procedures and protocols to ensure that the captive wild tusker was suitably and comfortably rehabilitated. It began with a crucial medical examination to determine whether the tusker required further treatment or whether it had to be held captive permanently or whether it could be released back into its natural habitat.&nbsp;</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="12">"An 8-member expert committee formed for this purpose told us that the elephant was fine, no further treatment was required. It was also added that there was no reason to keep it in a camp. We then formed multiple committees to work on the scientific methods of rehabilitation, such as -treatment, collaring, tracking, etc." said Tamil Nadu Chief Wildlife Warden Dr Shekhar Kumar Niraj, IFS. He added that it was a sensitive operation involving 100 staffers of the department, hence necessitating that it be kept away from public glare.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="13">Referring to the possibility of similar rehabilitation efforts for other captive elephants, Mrs Supriya Sahu said that the department would make its best efforts to get captive animals back to the wild, as they can not be forced to live in an artificial setting. "In Karnataka, they rehabilitated a wild elephant that had been in captivity for a very long time. Likewise, we will analyse the parameters and see what is possible. We are open to the idea, "she said, expressing confidence.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="14">She assured meticulous, scientific decision-making that would keep animal welfare the utmost priority. She also revealed that man-animal conflict had come to an all-time low during the COVID-19 lockdowns, as people were confined to their homes. Regarding the two-pronged approach to wildlife management, she said that scaling-up of rescue-treatment-rehab facilities for animals was underway, besides the awareness drives for the local populace.</p>


In a significant development, ‘Rivaldo’, a wild tusker that had been under captive treatment at a camp in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, was released into the jungle during the wee hours of Monday.

In a significant development, ‘Rivaldo’, a wild tusker that had been under captive treatment at a camp in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, was released into the jungle during the wee hours of Monday. Nearly three months ago, the Tamil Nadu Forest Department captured the elephant, as it kept venturing into human habitations in search of food. It was suspected that the elephant had an injury, which prevented it from feeding in the wild. The Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, located in the ecologically sensitive Nilgiris district in Tamil Nadu, is at the tri-junction of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. It is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna. Animals such as tigers, leopards, elephants, Indian Gaur (bison), and sloth bears are often sighted at the reserve. Watch: On being captured, Rivaldo was put into a ‘kraal’ (a wooden log enclosure specially made for treating elephants). Generally, elephants that are put into a kraal are trained and domesticated for use as semi-wild elephants. They are either placed in forest department-run camps -as safari elephants or as Kumki elephants (trained elephants used to tame/control other elephants). Being put in a Kraal has often meant the end of a wild elephant’s natural way of life. In this case, based on input from multiple committees and expert opinion, it was decided to rehabilitate the tusker into a suitable location in the wild. Based on the discussions and plans drawn up over the last 25 days, a team from the Forest Department transferred the elephant from the kraal to a customised vehicle. The operation, which began at 3 am on Monday, involved moving the truck-borne elephant slowly to an ideal location (a journey of nearly 35kms), with adequate safety measures in place. According to Supriya Sahu, IAS, Principal Secretary, Environment and Forests, TN, the radio-collared tusker was released into the wild at around 9:30 am. "We have used a German-made radio collar that is linked with satellites to provide hourly location updates on the elephant. Our monitoring centre gets the signal every hour and we get to know how far he has travelled and the exact location. This helps ensure the tuskers' safety and tracks their movement in the wild, " she added. Officials had to follow multiple procedures and protocols to ensure that the captive wild tusker was suitably and comfortably rehabilitated. It began with a crucial medical examination to determine whether the tusker required further treatment or whether it had to be held captive permanently or whether it could be released back into its natural habitat. "An 8-member expert committee formed for this purpose told us that the elephant was fine, no further treatment was required. It was also added that there was no reason to keep it in a camp. We then formed multiple committees to work on the scientific methods of rehabilitation, such as -treatment, collaring, tracking, etc." said Tamil Nadu Chief Wildlife Warden Dr Shekhar Kumar Niraj, IFS. He added that it was a sensitive operation involving 100 staffers of the department, hence necessitating that it be kept away from public glare. Referring to the possibility of similar rehabilitation efforts for other captive elephants, Mrs Supriya Sahu said that the department would make its best efforts to get captive animals back to the wild, as they can not be forced to live in an artificial setting. "In Karnataka, they rehabilitated a wild elephant that had been in captivity for a very long time. Likewise, we will analyse the parameters and see what is possible. We are open to the idea, "she said, expressing confidence. She assured meticulous, scientific decision-making that would keep animal welfare the utmost priority. She also revealed that man-animal conflict had come to an all-time low during the COVID-19 lockdowns, as people were confined to their homes. Regarding the two-pronged approach to wildlife management, she said that scaling-up of rescue-treatment-rehab facilities for animals was underway, besides the awareness drives for the local populace.

Wild tusker 'Rivaldo', captured for treatment, returns to the forest in Tamil Nadu's Mudumalai

It's a long walk to freedom for Tusker 'Rivaldo', as it is rehabilitated into its natural habitat, after three months in captivity for treatment, at a camp in the Mudumalai tiger reserve, Tamil Nadu.

Tusker 'Rivaldo' back in natural habitat, after treatment in captivity

<p>A woman in Thailand was woken up to loud voices crashing and banging in the early hours of Saturday.</p>

<p>Ratchadawan Puengprasoppon recognised that the voices were coming from the kitchen. When she reached the kitchen, she saw an elephant poking its head through the kitchen wall, searching for food.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/how-saving-tasmanian-devils-meant-sentencing-little-penguins-to-death-on-maria-island-392931" hreflang="en">How saving Tasmanian Devils meant sentencing Little Penguins to death on Maria Island</a></strong></p>

<p>The elephant is named Boonchuay and lives in Thailand’s Kaeng Krachan national park. When Ratchadawan Puengprasoppon entered the kitchen, she saw the elephant’s trunk knocking out drawers, cooking pans and other things.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">📺 Elephant breaks into kitchen in Thailand looking for snacks <a href="https://t.co/pdyvHrxWfb">https://t.co/pdyvHrxWfb</a> 👨🏻‍💻 Likeado en YouTube 👨🏻‍💻</p>
— Diego de la Cruz Salas (@cruzpe) <a href="https://twitter.com/cruzpe/status/1406953683468881920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 21, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>Spotting elephants in kitchens is becoming increasingly common now in these areas as these large wild animals, apparently, like scouting kitchens on days of local markets.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/earth-has-a-heartbeat-and-nobody-knows-what-causes-it-392975" hreflang="en">Earth has a 'heartbeat' and nobody knows what causes it</a></strong></p>

<p>"They come to visit quite often. They always come when there is the local market because they can smell food," said Itthipon Thaimonkol, the park’s superintendent.</p>

<p>This is not the first time Boonchuay has taken such a hike. He had, earlier too, paid a visit to Ratchadawan’s kitchen once and had caused damage up to £1,140 (50,000 baht).</p>


A woman in Thailand was woken up to loud voices crashing and banging in the early hours of Saturday. Ratchadawan Puengprasoppon recognised that the voices were coming from the kitchen.

A woman in Thailand was woken up to loud voices crashing and banging in the early hours of Saturday. Ratchadawan Puengprasoppon recognised that the voices were coming from the kitchen. When she reached the kitchen, she saw an elephant poking its head through the kitchen wall, searching for food. Also read | How saving Tasmanian Devils meant sentencing Little Penguins to death on Maria Island The elephant is named Boonchuay and lives in Thailand’s Kaeng Krachan national park. When Ratchadawan Puengprasoppon entered the kitchen, she saw the elephant’s trunk knocking out drawers, cooking pans and other things. 📺 Elephant breaks into kitchen in Thailand looking for snacks https://t.co/pdyvHrxWfb 👨🏻‍💻 Likeado en YouTube 👨🏻‍💻 — Diego de la Cruz Salas (@cruzpe) June 21, 2021 × Spotting elephants in kitchens is becoming increasingly common now in these areas as these large wild animals, apparently, like scouting kitchens on days of local markets. Also read | Earth has a 'heartbeat' and nobody knows what causes it "They come to visit quite often. They always come when there is the local market because they can smell food," said Itthipon Thaimonkol, the park’s superintendent. This is not the first time Boonchuay has taken such a hike. He had, earlier too, paid a visit to Ratchadawan’s kitchen once and had caused damage up to £1,140 (50,000 baht).

Elephant in the room? Thailand local has unexpected dinner guest

For Khanyisa, life was difficult from the start. Born as an albino, at four-months-old she got caught in a poaching snare in South Africa's Kruger National Park that cut through her mouth. Trapped for four days, dehydrated and unable to eat because of her wounds, she was rescued and taken to a sanctuary in Mpumalanga, north east of Johannesburg.

Rescued S.African albino calf thrives with new herd

<p>Indian authorities launched a probe Friday into the deaths of at least&nbsp;18&nbsp;elephants, as a leading conservationist raised doubts that the animals were killed by&nbsp;lightning.</p>

<p>The dead herd was found in the hilly Kandali Proposed Reserve Forest in the northeastern&nbsp;India&nbsp;state of Assam on Thursday.</p>

<p>Forest officials and a local lawmaker, Jitu Goswami, told AFP they believed the&nbsp;elephants&nbsp;died after&nbsp;lightning&nbsp;struck the forest.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/cyclone-tauktae-to-hit-southern-india-heavy-rains-predicted-in-3-states-384979" hreflang="en">Cyclone Tauktae to hit southern India, heavy rains predicted in 3 states</a></strong></p>

<p>But prominent conservationist Soumyadeep Datta, from environmental activist group Nature's Beckon, said that was unlikely based on social media images.</p>

<p>"Poisoning could be behind the&nbsp;death&nbsp;of the&nbsp;elephants," Datta told AFP. "We have to wait for the autopsy report, which the forest department will do soon."</p>

<p>A team of vets and officials headed to the site on Friday together with Parimal Shuklabaidya, Assam's forests and environment minister.</p>

<p>India&nbsp;is home to nearly 30,000&nbsp;elephants, around 60 per cent of the wild Asian elephant population.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In recent years there have been rising incidents of&nbsp;elephants&nbsp;killed by locals, and vice-versa,&nbsp;as humans encroach further into the forest area</p>


Indian authorities launched a probe Friday into the deaths of at least 18 elephants, as a leading conservationist raised doubts that the animals were killed by lightning.

Indian authorities launched a probe Friday into the deaths of at least 18 elephants, as a leading conservationist raised doubts that the animals were killed by lightning. The dead herd was found in the hilly Kandali Proposed Reserve Forest in the northeastern India state of Assam on Thursday. Forest officials and a local lawmaker, Jitu Goswami, told AFP they believed the elephants died after lightning struck the forest. Also read | Cyclone Tauktae to hit southern India, heavy rains predicted in 3 states But prominent conservationist Soumyadeep Datta, from environmental activist group Nature's Beckon, said that was unlikely based on social media images. "Poisoning could be behind the death of the elephants," Datta told AFP. "We have to wait for the autopsy report, which the forest department will do soon." A team of vets and officials headed to the site on Friday together with Parimal Shuklabaidya, Assam's forests and environment minister. India is home to nearly 30,000 elephants, around 60 per cent of the wild Asian elephant population. In recent years there have been rising incidents of elephants killed by locals, and vice-versa, as humans encroach further into the forest area

India probes death of 18 elephants 'hit by lightning'

Otto the small elephant bull, is getting confident in the big wide world of his outside enclosure as his aunts and mother take him exploring. Born on March 22 at Munich's Hellabrunn Zoo, this is Otto's first spring.

Otto the baby elephant missing visitors as he explores outside enclosure

<p>Mass killings are about to unfold in the forests of Zimbabwe as the most empathetic species on earth is under threat.</p>

<p>More than 500 elephants will be put on sale in the days to come and they will be used for trophy hunting, with each elephant priced at $10,000 dollars. This appalling decision has been taken despite two elephant species in Africa being declared critically endangered.</p>

<p>As world leaders make tall promises of protecting the climate, this is something they must pay attention to and understand the role these mammals play in maintaining the balance of forest ecosystems.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-500-elephants-put-on-sale-for-hunting-379596"><strong>Watch |</strong></a></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-500-elephants-put-on-sale-for-hunting-379596/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>Elephants are the most empathetic mammals on Earth as they maintain the balance of fragile ecosystems but for decades elephants have been the most poached species in the world.</p>

<p>The horror of what is about to happen to them in Zimbabwe calls for global action as Zimbabwe is about to start selling rights to shoot 500 elephants this year where they would be priced at around $10,000 each.</p>

<p>This abominable decision has been taken even though the African forest elephant was declared critically endangered a few weeks back.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="Environmentalists raise concern as African elephants see massive decline">Environmentalists raise concern as African elephants see massive decline</a></strong></p>

<p>Zimbabwe is taking this drastic step because the pandemic has hit the country's economy hard and the entire tourism which generates most of the national revenue has collapsed.</p>

<p>The country's parks and wildlife management authority has said in its defence, 'we eat what we kill. We have a bad need for money and we are not supported by the central government.'</p>

<p>The Animal Rights Organisations say they don't understand the consequences and according to one of the advocacy firms, these surviving mammals who witness the gunning down of their family members could mete out vengeance on helpless local villagers.</p>

<p>This is a reality that has played out time and again across Africa. Thus, Zimbabwe is not the only country indulging in trophy hunting.</p>

<p>In December 2020, Namibia put 170 high-value elephants up for sale and they defended their move by citing an explosion in the elephant population. They claim that the money from this hunting spree is also used to fund conservation efforts but activists say the practice is motivated by greed and the money is never accounted for.</p>

<p>Now they are calling for more traditional measures such as photo safaris, but whether it will amuse the human beings or not is still a question.</p>


Mass killings are about to unfold in the forests of Zimbabwe as the most empathetic species on earth is under threat. More than 500 elephants will be put on sale in the days to come and they will be used for trophy hunting, with each elephant priced at $10,000 dollars.

Mass killings are about to unfold in the forests of Zimbabwe as the most empathetic species on earth is under threat. More than 500 elephants will be put on sale in the days to come and they will be used for trophy hunting, with each elephant priced at $10,000 dollars. This appalling decision has been taken despite two elephant species in Africa being declared critically endangered. As world leaders make tall promises of protecting the climate, this is something they must pay attention to and understand the role these mammals play in maintaining the balance of forest ecosystems. Watch | Elephants are the most empathetic mammals on Earth as they maintain the balance of fragile ecosystems but for decades elephants have been the most poached species in the world. The horror of what is about to happen to them in Zimbabwe calls for global action as Zimbabwe is about to start selling rights to shoot 500 elephants this year where they would be priced at around $10,000 each. This abominable decision has been taken even though the African forest elephant was declared critically endangered a few weeks back. Also read | Environmentalists raise concern as African elephants see massive decline Zimbabwe is taking this drastic step because the pandemic has hit the country's economy hard and the entire tourism which generates most of the national revenue has collapsed. The country's parks and wildlife management authority has said in its defence, 'we eat what we kill. We have a bad need for money and we are not supported by the central government.' The Animal Rights Organisations say they don't understand the consequences and according to one of the advocacy firms, these surviving mammals who witness the gunning down of their family members could mete out vengeance on helpless local villagers. This is a reality that has played out time and again across Africa. Thus, Zimbabwe is not the only country indulging in trophy hunting. In December 2020, Namibia put 170 high-value elephants up for sale and they defended their move by citing an explosion in the elephant population. They claim that the money from this hunting spree is also used to fund conservation efforts but activists say the practice is motivated by greed and the money is never accounted for. Now they are calling for more traditional measures such as photo safaris, but whether it will amuse the human beings or not is still a question.

Zimbabwe allows hunting endangered elephants to raise tourism money in pandemic

Zimbabwe is planning to sell hunting rights for endangered elephants in their forests. The move is aimed at shoring up the tourism industry which has been hit by COVID-19 pandemic.

Zimbabwe to sell elephant hunting rights for endangered elephants

<p>One strike from a female elephant turned out to be deadlier after a zoo worker in Spain lost his life after getting hit.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The female elephant struck the 44-year-old with her trunk on Wednesday at the Cabarceno Natural Park near the northern city of Santander, the zoo in a statement said, reports news agency AFP.</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/elephants-take-snowy-romp-in-sun-kissed-arizona-359687/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>He was rushed to hospital where he succumbed to his injuries hours later, it added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/satellite-imagery-to-aid-elephant-conservation-from-space-358329">Satellite imagery to aid elephant conservation from space</a></strong></p>

<p>When the incident happened, the zoo workers were cleaning the elephant stables and the 4,000-kg female elephant was with her calf.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We're talking about unpredictable animals," Javier Lopez Marcano, the tourism minister in the regional government of Cantabria which runs the zoo, told reporters.</p>

<p>"The force of the strike was tremendous, of a magnitude that one could not survive."&nbsp;</p>

<p>An investigation has been launched over the incident as it is the first in the 31-year-old zoo.&nbsp;</p>

<p>About 120 animal species that include tigers, lions, jaguars and lions live in large enclosures in Cabarceno Natural Park.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Last year, a zookeeper received head and chest injuries with her arms broken after she was mauled by a 200-kilo gorilla at Madrid Zoo Aquarium. &nbsp;</p>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>


One strike from a female elephant turned out to be deadlier after a zoo worker in Spain lost his life after getting hit. The female elephant struck the 44-year-old with her trunk on Wednesday at the Cabarceno Natural Park near the northern city of Santander, the zoo in a statement said, reports news agency AFP.

One strike from a female elephant turned out to be deadlier after a zoo worker in Spain lost his life after getting hit. The female elephant struck the 44-year-old with her trunk on Wednesday at the Cabarceno Natural Park near the northern city of Santander, the zoo in a statement said, reports news agency AFP. Watch | He was rushed to hospital where he succumbed to his injuries hours later, it added. Also read | Satellite imagery to aid elephant conservation from space When the incident happened, the zoo workers were cleaning the elephant stables and the 4,000-kg female elephant was with her calf. "We're talking about unpredictable animals," Javier Lopez Marcano, the tourism minister in the regional government of Cantabria which runs the zoo, told reporters. "The force of the strike was tremendous, of a magnitude that one could not survive." An investigation has been launched over the incident as it is the first in the 31-year-old zoo. About 120 animal species that include tigers, lions, jaguars and lions live in large enclosures in Cabarceno Natural Park. Last year, a zookeeper received head and chest injuries with her arms broken after she was mauled by a 200-kilo gorilla at Madrid Zoo Aquarium.

4000-kilo female elephant's one hit from trunk kills zookeeper

<p>According to Customs officials, they intercepted a Singapore-bound cargo at the Air export shed, based on intelligence. The cargo which was declared to contain 600 cotton bed sheets was packed in 12 cartons were examined, as it was found unusually heavy. &nbsp;</p>

<p>On opening the cartons, wooden cut logs with red color, off white marks were found concealed beneath the bedsheets. Forest officials certified the wooden logs as Red Sanders ‘Pterocarpus Santinalus’. Total 25 cut logs weighing 495 kg of Red Sanders valued at Rs. 25 lakhs were recovered and seized under Customs Act 1962 read with Foreign Trade (D&amp;R) Act.</p>

<p>Red Sanders is classified by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as “endangered” and falls under Red list. The Exporter M/s Omsrisai Enterprises has been detained to ascertain his role in smuggling and further investigation is in progress, said officials.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Red sanders, which are found in southern Indian states are of high demand in the international market and are used for medicinal and decorative purposes.</p>


According to Customs officials, they intercepted a Singapore-bound cargo at the Air export shed, based on intelligence. The cargo which was declared to contain 600 cotton bed sheets was packed in 12 cartons were examined, as it was found unusually heavy.

According to Customs officials, they intercepted a Singapore-bound cargo at the Air export shed, based on intelligence. The cargo which was declared to contain 600 cotton bed sheets was packed in 12 cartons were examined, as it was found unusually heavy. On opening the cartons, wooden cut logs with red color, off white marks were found concealed beneath the bedsheets. Forest officials certified the wooden logs as Red Sanders ‘Pterocarpus Santinalus’. Total 25 cut logs weighing 495 kg of Red Sanders valued at Rs. 25 lakhs were recovered and seized under Customs Act 1962 read with Foreign Trade (D&R) Act. Red Sanders is classified by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as “endangered” and falls under Red list. The Exporter M/s Omsrisai Enterprises has been detained to ascertain his role in smuggling and further investigation is in progress, said officials. Red sanders, which are found in southern Indian states are of high demand in the international market and are used for medicinal and decorative purposes.

495kg of Red Sanders bound for Singapore seized in Chennai

<p>A video displaying inhumane nature and brutality has emerged from the buffer zone of Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu. Few persons at a private homestay cum farm, in Mavanallah, are seen hurling a large burning piece of cloth on a tusker (already hurt) that had wandered inside the property. The video is said to be of an incident that had taken place a few weeks back.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the first part of the video, an individual holding a burning log is seen chasing the elephant. As the horror unfolds, at least three persons are heard speaking in the background. “That’s it, burn and die” an individual is heard saying towards the end of the video, as the elephant trumpets in fear and runs away.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Absolutely horrific. The people running a private resort throw a lit-tyre on a 50-year-old <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/elephant?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#elephant</a> in the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Nilgiris?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Nilgiris</a>, that died as a result of the injuries it suffered. <a href="https://twitter.com/SanctuaryAsia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SanctuaryAsia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/nehaa_sinha?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nehaa_sinha</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/elephantfamily?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@elephantfamily</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Mugilan__C?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Mugilan__C</a> <a href="https://t.co/YE8UI8dBIi">pic.twitter.com/YE8UI8dBIi</a></p>
— Rohan Premkumar (@ThinBrownDuke26) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThinBrownDuke26/status/1352565590712487943?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>Forest officials have confirmed that this was the same tusker that died earlier this week&nbsp;on January 19. “The death is caused by an earlier injury and a festering wound, which was a few months old. We had been providing treatment for the wild tusker, but this setting ablaze incident happened after that” KK Kaushal, Field Director, Mudumalai Tiger reserve told Zee Media.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Srikanth, Deputy Director of Mudumalai Tiger reserve has said, based on investigation they have arrested Prasath and Raymond Dean, whereas a search is on for Ricky Rayan, who is currently not in station.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Forest department officials say that the wild elephant nicknamed “Ronaldo” or “SI”was always spotted in and around Masinagudi-bokkapuram area. It was about two months back that the officials got to know of an injury on the elephant’s back and started observing the elephant’s movements, following which they deputed a team to feed, care for it.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“Our watchers noticed a deep hole(injury) in its back and thereafter we started feeding it fruits embedded with medicines. Once we tranquilized the elephant and treated it with antibiotics. There was some progress in the elephant’s condition gradually, but it always kept coming close to habitations and blocking the highways, without causing any harm” Srikanth, had earlier told Zee Media.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He added the their team had found the elephant to be very weak, a couple of days ago, after which they decided to tranquilize it and move it to the elephant camp for further treatment. It was when the elephant was being loaded onto a truck and taken to the camp that it collapsed and died, on Tuesday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“Post mortem report has revealed that the deep injury in the back had led to puss formation in the lungs. The wound could have been from sharp bamboo edges and the injury was in an area that cannot be reached by the trunk” Srikanth said.&nbsp;</p>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>


A video displaying inhumane nature and brutality has emerged from the buffer zone of Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu. Few persons at a private homestay cum farm, in Mavanallah, are seen hurling a large burning piece of cloth on a tusker (already hurt) that had wandered inside the property.

A video displaying inhumane nature and brutality has emerged from the buffer zone of Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu. Few persons at a private homestay cum farm, in Mavanallah, are seen hurling a large burning piece of cloth on a tusker (already hurt) that had wandered inside the property. The video is said to be of an incident that had taken place a few weeks back. In the first part of the video, an individual holding a burning log is seen chasing the elephant. As the horror unfolds, at least three persons are heard speaking in the background. “That’s it, burn and die” an individual is heard saying towards the end of the video, as the elephant trumpets in fear and runs away. Watch | Absolutely horrific. The people running a private resort throw a lit-tyre on a 50-year-old #elephant in the #Nilgiris, that died as a result of the injuries it suffered. @SanctuaryAsia @nehaa_sinha @elephantfamily @Mugilan__C pic.twitter.com/YE8UI8dBIi — Rohan Premkumar (@ThinBrownDuke26) January 22, 2021 × Forest officials have confirmed that this was the same tusker that died earlier this week on January 19. “The death is caused by an earlier injury and a festering wound, which was a few months old. We had been providing treatment for the wild tusker, but this setting ablaze incident happened after that” KK Kaushal, Field Director, Mudumalai Tiger reserve told Zee Media. Srikanth, Deputy Director of Mudumalai Tiger reserve has said, based on investigation they have arrested Prasath and Raymond Dean, whereas a search is on for Ricky Rayan, who is currently not in station. Forest department officials say that the wild elephant nicknamed “Ronaldo” or “SI”was always spotted in and around Masinagudi-bokkapuram area. It was about two months back that the officials got to know of an injury on the elephant’s back and started observing the elephant’s movements, following which they deputed a team to feed, care for it. “Our watchers noticed a deep hole(injury) in its back and thereafter we started feeding it fruits embedded with medicines. Once we tranquilized the elephant and treated it with antibiotics. There was some progress in the elephant’s condition gradually, but it always kept coming close to habitations and blocking the highways, without causing any harm” Srikanth, had earlier told Zee Media. He added the their team had found the elephant to be very weak, a couple of days ago, after which they decided to tranquilize it and move it to the elephant camp for further treatment. It was when the elephant was being loaded onto a truck and taken to the camp that it collapsed and died, on Tuesday. “Post mortem report has revealed that the deep injury in the back had led to puss formation in the lungs. The wound could have been from sharp bamboo edges and the injury was in an area that cannot be reached by the trunk” Srikanth said.

Wounded tusker set ablaze in Tamil Nadu, dies later; video emerges

<p>Conservationists have started using satellite imagery to count elephants from space. This technique, British experts hope, is expected to help protect threatened populations in Africa.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Satellite monitoring is an unobtrusive technique requiring no ground presence, thus eliminating the risk of disturbing species, or of concern for human safety during data collection.</p>

<p>The scientists first developed the techniques at South Africa's Addo Elephant National Park.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The images, from a satellite orbiting 600 kilometres (some 370 miles) above the Earth, could survey upward of 5,000 square kilometres (nearly 2,000 square miles) of land in one pass, captured in a matter of minutes.</p>

<p>The scientists trained the algorithm to recognise only adults among a dataset of 1,000 elephants in the park and then found it was also able to identify calves.</p>

<p>Researchers at the University of Oxford and the University of Bath said the use of algorithms, machine learning and satellite technology could replace current techniques used to count elephants -- a critical aspect of conservation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The population of African elephants has plummeted over the last century due to poaching, retaliatory killing from crop raiding and habitat fragmentation," Oxford said in a statement.</p>

<p>"To conserve them requires knowledge of where they are, and how many there are: accurate monitoring is vital."</p>

<p>Currently, the most common technique for surveying elephant populations in savannah environments is aerial counts from manned aircraft.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The academics said aerial surveyors can get exhausted, and are sometimes hindered by poor visibility.</p>


Conservationists have started using satellite imagery to count elephants from space. This technique, British experts hope, is expected to help protect threatened populations in Africa.

Conservationists have started using satellite imagery to count elephants from space. This technique, British experts hope, is expected to help protect threatened populations in Africa. Satellite monitoring is an unobtrusive technique requiring no ground presence, thus eliminating the risk of disturbing species, or of concern for human safety during data collection. The scientists first developed the techniques at South Africa's Addo Elephant National Park. The images, from a satellite orbiting 600 kilometres (some 370 miles) above the Earth, could survey upward of 5,000 square kilometres (nearly 2,000 square miles) of land in one pass, captured in a matter of minutes. The scientists trained the algorithm to recognise only adults among a dataset of 1,000 elephants in the park and then found it was also able to identify calves. Researchers at the University of Oxford and the University of Bath said the use of algorithms, machine learning and satellite technology could replace current techniques used to count elephants -- a critical aspect of conservation. "The population of African elephants has plummeted over the last century due to poaching, retaliatory killing from crop raiding and habitat fragmentation," Oxford said in a statement. "To conserve them requires knowledge of where they are, and how many there are: accurate monitoring is vital." Currently, the most common technique for surveying elephant populations in savannah environments is aerial counts from manned aircraft. The academics said aerial surveyors can get exhausted, and are sometimes hindered by poor visibility.

Satellite imagery to aid elephant conservation from space

Sri Lanka has recorded the highest number of elephant deaths in the world and questions are being raised about the nation's conservation efforts.

Sri Lanka the most conflicted nation with elephants' lives

Pakistan's lonely elephant Kaavan arrived in Cambodia by cargo plane on Monday (November 30) to start a new life with 600 fellow pachyderms at a local sanctuary, the result of years of campaigning for his relocation by American singer Cher.

Pakistan's lonesome elephant, Kaavan, starts new life in Cambodia

Officials and well-wishers gathered at Islamabad Zoo on Monday (November 23) for a farewell party for Pakistan's lonely elephant Kaavan before he sets off for a new life in Cambodia this week.

Pakistan's lonely elephant set for new life with herd in Cambodia

<p>A more than 12-hour-long operation was able to rescue an elephant who fell into a well in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Forest officials on Friday said a crane was used to successfully pull out the elephant from the well, as reported by news agency Reuters.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/zimbabwe-finds-more-elephant-carcasses-death-toll-at-22-324824#:~:text=Zimbabwe's%20wildlife%20agency%20said%20on,22%2C%20double%20the%20initial%20figure.">Zimbabwe finds more elephant carcasses, death toll at 22</a></strong></p>

<p>Rajkumar, the district forest officer said the elephant was roaming around a village bordering Dharampuri district when it fell down to the well that was covered with bushes and did not have any boundary around it.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/covid-19-curbs-see-elephant-idols-shrunk-for-ganesh-chaturthi-322390">COVID-19 curbs see elephant idols shrunk for Ganesh Chaturthi</a></strong></p>

<p>"It was a deep and narrow well," said the forest officer.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We were informed by locals early on Thursday and were able to retrieve the elephant only late in the night."</p>

<p>The officials first cleared away the bushes around the well and then pumped water out of the well. But the elephant attacked the pipes that were taking out the water.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Eventually, we sedated the animal with the help of doctors and used a crane to lift it out of the well," he said.</p>

<p>"It was found to be healthy and active when we monitored it for three hours after the rescue."</p>


A more than 12-hour-long operation was able to rescue an elephant who fell into a well in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Forest officials on Friday said a crane was used to successfully pull out the elephant from the well, as reported by news agency Reuters.

A more than 12-hour-long operation was able to rescue an elephant who fell into a well in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Forest officials on Friday said a crane was used to successfully pull out the elephant from the well, as reported by news agency Reuters. Also read | Zimbabwe finds more elephant carcasses, death toll at 22 Rajkumar, the district forest officer said the elephant was roaming around a village bordering Dharampuri district when it fell down to the well that was covered with bushes and did not have any boundary around it. Also read | COVID-19 curbs see elephant idols shrunk for Ganesh Chaturthi "It was a deep and narrow well," said the forest officer. "We were informed by locals early on Thursday and were able to retrieve the elephant only late in the night." The officials first cleared away the bushes around the well and then pumped water out of the well. But the elephant attacked the pipes that were taking out the water. "Eventually, we sedated the animal with the help of doctors and used a crane to lift it out of the well," he said. "It was found to be healthy and active when we monitored it for three hours after the rescue."

Tamil Nadu: Elephant falls into well, rescued after 14-hour operation

<p>Zimbabwe suspects a bacterial disease called haemorrhagic septicaemia is behind the recent deaths of more than 30 elephants but is doing further tests to make sure, the parks authority said.</p>

<p>The elephant deaths, which began in late August, come soon after hundreds of elephants died in neighbouring Botswana in mysterious circumstances.</p>

<p>Officials in Botswana were initially at a loss to explain the elephant deaths there but have since blamed toxins produced by another type of bacterium.</p>

<p>Experts say Botswana and Zimbabwe could be home to roughly half of the continent's 400,000 elephants, often targeted by poachers.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/zimbabwe-finds-more-elephant-carcasses-death-toll-at-22-324824" hreflang="en">Zimbabwe finds more elephant carcasses, death toll at 22</a></p>

<p>Elephants in Botswana and parts of Zimbabwe are at historically high levels, but elsewhere on the continent - especially in forested areas - many populations are severely depleted, said Chris Thouless, head of research at Save the Elephants.</p>

<p>"Higher populations equal greater risk from infectious diseases," Thouless told Reuters, adding that climate change could put pressure on elephant populations as water supplies diminish and temperatures rise, potentially increasing the probability of pathogen outbreaks.</p>

<p>Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority Director-General Fulton Mangwanya told a parliamentary committee on Monday that so far 34 dead elephants had been counted.</p>

<p>"It is unlikely that this disease alone will have any serious overall impact on the survival of the elephant population," he said. "The northwest regions of Zimbabwe have an over-abundance of elephants and this outbreak of disease is probably a manifestation of that, ... particularly in the hot, dry season elephants are stressed by competition for water and food resources."</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/zimbabwe-probes-deaths-of-12-elephants-near-hwange-park-324131" hreflang="en">Zimbabwe probes deaths of 12 elephants near Hwange park</a></p>

<p>Post mortems on some of the dead elephants showed inflamed livers and other organs, Mangwanya said. The elephants were found lying on their stomachs, suggesting a sudden death.</p>

<p>Vernon Booth, a Zimbabwe-based wildlife management consultant, told Reuters it was difficult to put a number on Zimbabwe's current elephant population. He estimated it could be close to 90,000, up from 82,000 in 2014 when the last national survey was conducted, assuming that roughly 2,000-3,000 have died each year from all causes.</p>


Zimbabwe suspects a bacterial disease called haemorrhagic septicaemia is behind the recent deaths of more than 30 elephants but is doing further tests to make sure, the parks authority said.

Zimbabwe suspects a bacterial disease called haemorrhagic septicaemia is behind the recent deaths of more than 30 elephants but is doing further tests to make sure, the parks authority said. The elephant deaths, which began in late August, come soon after hundreds of elephants died in neighbouring Botswana in mysterious circumstances. Officials in Botswana were initially at a loss to explain the elephant deaths there but have since blamed toxins produced by another type of bacterium. Experts say Botswana and Zimbabwe could be home to roughly half of the continent's 400,000 elephants, often targeted by poachers. Also read: Zimbabwe finds more elephant carcasses, death toll at 22 Elephants in Botswana and parts of Zimbabwe are at historically high levels, but elsewhere on the continent - especially in forested areas - many populations are severely depleted, said Chris Thouless, head of research at Save the Elephants. "Higher populations equal greater risk from infectious diseases," Thouless told Reuters, adding that climate change could put pressure on elephant populations as water supplies diminish and temperatures rise, potentially increasing the probability of pathogen outbreaks. Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority Director-General Fulton Mangwanya told a parliamentary committee on Monday that so far 34 dead elephants had been counted. "It is unlikely that this disease alone will have any serious overall impact on the survival of the elephant population," he said. "The northwest regions of Zimbabwe have an over-abundance of elephants and this outbreak of disease is probably a manifestation of that, ... particularly in the hot, dry season elephants are stressed by competition for water and food resources." Also read: Zimbabwe probes deaths of 12 elephants near Hwange park Post mortems on some of the dead elephants showed inflamed livers and other organs, Mangwanya said. The elephants were found lying on their stomachs, suggesting a sudden death. Vernon Booth, a Zimbabwe-based wildlife management consultant, told Reuters it was difficult to put a number on Zimbabwe's current elephant population. He estimated it could be close to 90,000, up from 82,000 in 2014 when the last national survey was conducted, assuming that roughly 2,000-3,000 have died each year from all causes.

Zimbabwe suspects bacterial disease behind elephant deaths

<p>Officials from Botswana say they have solved the mystery of mass deaths of elephants earlier this year. The hundreds of elephants died from ingesting toxins produced by cyanobacteria.</p>

<p>Government officials add they will be testing waterholes for algal blooms next rainy season to reduce the risk of another mass die-off.</p>

<p>The mysterious death of 350 elephants in the Okavango delta between May and June had made researchers suggest they were killed by a rodent virus known as EMC (encephalomyocarditis) or toxins from algal blooms.</p>

<p>But their latest tests have detected cyanobacterial neurotoxins to be the cause of deaths. These are bacteria found in water.</p>

<p>Toxins were initially ruled out because no other species died. But scientists now think elephants could be particularly susceptible because they spend a lot of time bathing and drinking large quantities of water.</p>

<p>Local sources suggest 70% of elephants died near water holes containing algal blooms, which can produce toxic microscopic organisms called cyanobacteria.</p>

<p>Climate change is increasing both the intensity and severity of harmful algal blooms, making this issue more likely to reoccur. In July, the government’s official count was 281 deaths but this has now risen to 330 deaths.</p>


Officials from Botswana say they have solved the mystery of mass deaths of elephants earlier this year. The hundreds of elephants died from ingesting toxins produced by cyanobacteria.

Officials from Botswana say they have solved the mystery of mass deaths of elephants earlier this year. The hundreds of elephants died from ingesting toxins produced by cyanobacteria. Government officials add they will be testing waterholes for algal blooms next rainy season to reduce the risk of another mass die-off. The mysterious death of 350 elephants in the Okavango delta between May and June had made researchers suggest they were killed by a rodent virus known as EMC (encephalomyocarditis) or toxins from algal blooms. But their latest tests have detected cyanobacterial neurotoxins to be the cause of deaths. These are bacteria found in water. Toxins were initially ruled out because no other species died. But scientists now think elephants could be particularly susceptible because they spend a lot of time bathing and drinking large quantities of water. Local sources suggest 70% of elephants died near water holes containing algal blooms, which can produce toxic microscopic organisms called cyanobacteria. Climate change is increasing both the intensity and severity of harmful algal blooms, making this issue more likely to reoccur. In July, the government’s official count was 281 deaths but this has now risen to 330 deaths.

Botswana solves mass elephant deaths mystery

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