Mysuru: Wild elephant calf leaves mother, finds thrill in 'rival' camp

Mysuru: In a delightful surprise for Mathigodu elephant camp officials, a wild elephant calf left the safety of its mother's protection and sought the company of other calves of the forest department.

The calf, about eight months old, found frolicking with other calves at Mathigodu elephant camp leaving forest officials puzzled as young ones do not leave their mother's side. Normally, department's elephants are sent into the forest in a herd for grazing.

A week back the calf came with the herd gamboling with 18-month-old Bhuvaneshwari. When contacted, Nagarhole wildlife sanctuary deputy conservator of forests (DCF) Mahesh said that the forest staff sent back the calf to Singanur from where it came, but to their bafflement, the young one refused to leave the elephant camp.

"We tried to send it back to its mother 3-4 times, but it is not leaving our herd. Normally, elephants lactate calves for two years.

There were instances of calves dying after being separated from mothers in spite of proper care given by our department. But this young one is much active and eating food with gusto." He said an extra care is being taken to feed the young calf in the camp.

It's consuming cooked rice, horse gram, green gram, ragi and urad dal flour. At present there are 21 elephants in the camp.