VIDEO: Baby elephant pulled from Thailand manhole in dramatic rescue

Gulf Today Report

In a dramatic operation, a baby elephant has been rescued from a manhole cover in central Thailand after its mother was sedated to allow the operation, wildlife authorities said.

The baby elephant fell into the drainage reservoir on the outskirts of the Royal Hills golf course in Nakhon Nayok province in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

His distressed mother, believed to belong to a herd of elephants travelling in the nearby jungle, stayed with the child because the baby couldn't get out of the steep pit.

The pair were discovered by a passing resident, who quickly alerted wildlife officials and Khao Yai National Park authorities to the mammal’s plight.

Would-be rescuers were initially unable to help the baby elephant due to the presence of its worried mother, and were forced to tranquilise the older creature.

Unfortunately, the mother elephant then partially fell into the hole before being extracted using a digger and later recaptured.

The baby was eventually rescued from the pit and reunited with its mother, with park authorities confirming the pair had safely returned to the jungle.