Boko: In a collaborative effort between locals and Assam state Forest officials, a wild elephant calf was rescued from a well in Karekura Forest village within the Chaygaon Revenue Circle, situated along the Assam-Meghalaya border. This incident unfolded in the jurisdiction of the Kulshi Forest Range, belonging to the West Kamrup Forest Division.
According to Dipen Deka, the Range Officer of Kulshi, the event transpired last night when a herd of wild elephants was traversing the area, and one of the calves inadvertently tumbled into a well near a local residence. Upon learning of the situation, vigilant villagers promptly notified the forest department.
Forest Officer Dipen Deka, accompanied by several forest personnel, promptly responded to the scene. With the assistance of the villagers, they successfully rescued the elephant calf unharmed from the well.
Deka noted that the calf seemed relatively uninjured, indicating that it had not been trapped in the well for an extended period.
“To facilitate the rescue operation, two excavators were employed to create a safe passage towards the well,” explained Dipen Deka. “Following the successful extraction, the rescued elephant calf was carefully returned to the forest and reunited with its herd.”
Deka commended the villagers for their cooperation, highlighting their adeptness in coexisting with wild elephants. “Residents within the Kulshi Forest Office jurisdiction understand the importance of maintaining a safe distance from wild elephants,” Deka remarked. “In the event of an elephant herd encroaching upon their village, they promptly inform the forest department to guide the animals back into their natural habitat. This proactive approach significantly mitigates human-elephant conflicts in the Kulshi Forest Office area.”
Deka also emphasized that a total of twenty forest villages fall under the purview of the Kulshi range office, underscoring the widespread community engagement in wildlife conservation efforts.
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