Liew praises efforts to save Kinabatangan elephant calf
Published on: Tuesday, December 31, 2019
Wildlife officials rescuing the poor calf.
Kota Kinabalu: The efforts to save an elephant calf from its near watery grave at Melangking in Sukau, Kinabatangan on Dec 27 by a team from the Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) and Wildlife Rescue Unit (WRU) is commendable, said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Christina Liew.She said a five-member team from SWD, WRU and Melangking Oil Palm Plantation (MOPP), led by veterinarian Dr Navanita Roopan, was involved in the calf rescue work.ADVERTISEMENT
“The team received a report that an elephant calf had fallen into a drain and got trapped under a broken bridge. The team immediately rushed to the spot and managed to physically pull out the calf from the hole with no possible moving space.
“Their speedy action had saved the poor calf from losing its life. The calf, which did not suffer any severe injury, was released to the mother elephant then and there.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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“Keep up the good work in saving elephants in need. We hope to see more concerted effort in this direction,” Liew, who is also Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, said in a statement, Monday.
When the team arrived at the location, they found the mother elephant and its herd helplessly surrounding the spot. Without delay, the elephants were scared away to a distance for the calf’s safety. A nearby plantation offered a backhoe to assist the rescue team but due to a delay, the team decided to conduct the rescue work themselves as the calf, mother elephant and herd were getting stressed.