Baby Elephant Gets Stuck in Deep Pit, Officials Come up with a Brilliant Idea to Save Him

When a baby elephant cried out for help, officials didn't hesitate to come to its aid. However, some were taken aback by their use of a firework that frightened the animal during the rescue mission.

Officials in Karnataka - a state in Southern India - rescued a struggling baby elephant. Sudha Ramen, the Deputy Conservator of Forests in the Tamilnadu Forest Department, shared the video of the incident on Twitter.

The heart-touching clip showed the tusker stuck in a deep pit, struggling immensely as it clung onto the edge with its top hooves. It tried pushing itself up the unstable sandy side of the pit with its hind legs.

Noise erupted around the stressed animal. Someone suddenly blew a car horn in the background while the officials spoke with one another in a cacophony of voices.

They guided a crane arm up beneath him with the intent of using it to lift the baby. Their innovative plan worked as they managed to place it underneath the elephant and gently push him up to the flat ground.

The officials, as well as onlookers, began cheering and clapping. The reply section below the Twitter post was equally as jovial, with one comment reading:

"Good job for rescue team...amazing. [Hats off to all] team members 👍 👍 well done."

Once the elephant was above ground, it turned to face the crane while shaking its head. Eventually, It began slowly backing away.

The officials proceeded to use a tiny firecracker to scare the animal off into the bush. Some people commenting on the clip felt uneasy about this, but Ramen maintained that it is a necessary and rare tactic:

"It is used on occasions to direct the animal back into the forest and also to protect the nearby people if the animal tries to attack them."

She affirmed that it is in no way harmful to the animal. The Deputy Conservator revealed that rescue teams are encouraged to keep them on hand just in case herds are found to be near humans.

Some individuals also stated that the baby's gesture towards the crane signified gratitude. The Deputy explained that, for the most part, these animals are cordial with humans.

However, this friendliness is less common in younger elephants. Ramen said that the elephant's response, in this situation, could also have been a sign of distress rather than a gesture of appreciation.

In a similar story, Cher recalled how she started her journey of rescuing the "World's loneliest elephant." After a long battle, the elephant named Kaavan arrived at a wildlife sanctuary to live out the rest of his life.

He remained at a Pakistani zoo for 35 years with no other elephants to interact with since 2012. After years of campaigning, the iconic singer, along with actress Lily Tomlin, managed to give this elephant a new home.