A newborn elephant, just six days old, found abandoned in the Chinese wilderness, has received treatment for a severe navel infection. The young male elephant was discovered alone in Yunnan province’s Xishuangbanna region, left behind by his herd.
This isn’t the first occurrence of an elephant separation in Yunnan province. In a previous incident, one elephant got lost from its herd as it migrated several miles from its natural habitat near the Myanmar border. This journey gained a lot of attention on the internet.
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Recalling the recent rescue operation, one team member shared with CCTV, “Upon reaching the site, we noticed the calf’s inflamed belly button.”
The Asian Elephant Breeding and Rescue Center’s director, Bao Mingwei, further explained the treatment procedures: “We administered anti-inflammatory medication to combat the infection around his umbilical cord and took necessary measurements like body temperature and heart rate.”
The calf was then transported to the rescue center for further care, as shown in footage released by state television.
Initial clips depicted a serene herd of elephants grazing by a river. Still, the focus soon shifted to the rescuers and vets nursing the lone calf back to health.
After some medical attention, the elephant was able to stand up and was escorted towards a truck, set to be taken to the rescue center.
In the wake of ongoing conservation initiatives in Yunnan, the number of native elephants in China has doubled in the last ten years.
But their habitat is shrinking, with the tropical forests of Xishuangbanna giving way to plantations for bananas, tea, rubber, and raw materials for traditional Chinese medicines.
Asian elephants are one of three existing species, alongside the African bush and forest elephants. They can be found spread across the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, ranging from India in the west, Nepal in the north, Sumatra in the south, and Borneo in the east.
In an unusual incident last month, another group of elephants embarked on a lengthy 300-mile journey that lasted 17 months before finally returning home.
The journey of these 14 Asian elephants, which included giving birth to two babies and causing substantial damage, attracted worldwide attention and left scientists puzzled.
These intelligent creatures traversed city centers, highways, and residential areas, with their group nap photo garnering significant interest on social media.
After reaching Kunming’s outskirts, they began their journey south, a turn of events as baffling as fascinating.
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