Fishermen rescue elephant calf from Teesta River

Five fishermen from the North Bengal Fishermen’s Forum successfully rescued a newborn elephant calf from the Teesta River in the Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal. The calf, estimated to be only three to four days old, was swept away by strong currents near the Gajoldoba barrage after a herd attempted to cross the river.

The fishermen—Mithu Das, Bishwanath Das, Rajesh Das, Gopal Das, and Bablu Das—spotted the struggling animal and pursued it for approximately four kilometers by boat. They managed to pull the exhausted calf onto their vessel and transport it safely to the riverbank, where they handed it over to officials from the Kathambari Range of the Forest Department.

Following the rescue, forest personnel from the Baikunthapur Forest Division worked to reunite the calf with its mother. After a two-hour search, the calf was successfully reintegrated with its herd near a dry area of the Teesta River. Forest officials confirmed the herd has accepted the calf and are continuing to monitor the animals' condition.