Vets pulled off a dramatic rescue of an elephant in Thailand after carrying out CPR by jumping up and down on her chest.
Rescue workers use a crane to lift up a mather elephant after it fell into a manhole in Khao Yai National Park, Nakhon Nayok province, Thailand, July 13, 2022.
The animal’s one-year-old calf had slipped into a concrete drain at a golf course during monsoon rains in central Nakhon Nayok province.
Its 10-year-old mother stood guard over her calf but when wildlife volunteers tranquilised the older elephant she hit her head on the edge of the concrete structure, knocking her unconscious, and she also fell in.
A truck-mounted cherry picker crane was used to pull the mother out before vets climbed on top of her to perform CPR.
An elephant calf is seen inside a manhole during a rescue as a baby and mother elephant that fell into a manhole in Khao Yai National Park, Nakhon Nayok province, Thailand, July 13, 2022.
Meanwhile a digger cleared away earth so the calf could climb out of the 7ft-deep hole.
It took the team more than three hours to finish the operation.
An elephant calf is seen inside a manhole after a baby and mother elephant fell into a manhole in Khao Yai National Park, Nakhon Nayok province, Thailand, July 13, 2022.
Khao Yai National Park Department vet Dr Chananya Kanchanasarak said: “It was impossible to get near the baby while the mother was nearby so we gave her three doses of tranquilisers but she moved towards her baby before passing out and hit her head.”
Dr Chananya said the mother “regained consciousness after being stimulated by both me and the baby”.
Soon after the pair were pulled from the drain, the calf began suckling its mother.
Dr Chananya added: “Despite the obstacles, the mother did not leave her baby’s side.
“This experience touched our hearts and will be one of the most memorable rescues we’ve done.”
