Three elephant calves have lost their families one after another in the forests of Chittagong and Cox's Bazar. One of them, a male calf (still unnamed), lost its mother due to excessive bleeding during birth in the Teknaf forest area of Cox's Bazar. This calf is currently more than 21 days old.
Another calf (Jamuna) lost its mother just a few days after birth in the same forest area. It is now nearly four years old.
On the other hand, a male calf (Bir Bahadur) in the forest area of Bashkhali, Chittagong, became separated from its group and was seriously injured in an accident, getting stuck in the mud. It is currently around one year and three months old.
The three orphaned elephant calves have found a home at the Bangabandhu Safari Park in Dulahazara, Chakaria, Cox's Bazar.
Since then, the elephant calves have been steadily growing, receiving nurturing care and attention from humans (the mahouts). At the park's wildlife hospital quarantine area and the adjacent elephant enclosure, it was noted that from an early age, the calves undergo regular grooming, exercise, and training in various methods. Park visitors delight in watching the playful interactions between the mahouts and the calves.
The park authorities say that tourists and visitors are not allowed inside the wildlife hospital. However, special arrangements have been made to ensure that tourists and visitors can enjoy the playful interactions between the mahouts and the calves, including their twirling dance from a safe distance.
Tourist couple Habibur Rahman and Nilufa Akter, who came from Keraniganj, Dhaka, expressed that witnessing the playful interactions between the mahout and the elephant calves at the quarantine shed and nearby area of the park brought them great joy.
The park's mahouts, Sushil Chakma and Birsen Chakma, said, "The calves are being raised with care, just like our own children."
The park's wildlife hospital doctor (veterinary surgeon), Hatem Sajjad Md. Zulkarnain, said, "The three calves are being cared for by consistently providing them with food, including milk, banana trees, bananas, cucumbers, carrots, and pumpkin, along with essential medical treatment."
Md. Mazharul Islam, the acting supervisor of the Bangabandhu Safari Park stated, “Following the doctor's recommendations, the calves are fed age-appropriate food along with Lactogen-1 milk. While kept in the enclosed forest, if the caretaker mahout is not present, the calves, Jamuna and Bir Bahadur behave exactly like human babies.”
Chittagong Divisional Forest Officer Abu Naser Mohammad Yasin Newaz of the Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation Department said, "After being rescued in critical condition from different parts of the country, the three elephant calves are being raised with maternal care and attention."
Bd-pratidin English/ Afia
