Malaysia: Baby elephant responding well to treatment

T.N. ALAGESH New Straits Times 15 Jul 14;

TEMERLOH: The three-month-old elephant, which was found roaming alone in an oil palm plantation near Lanchang Estate here last week, has been responding well to treatment and its new surroundings at the Kuala Gandah Elephant Conservation centre here.

Two caretakers from the centre have been tasked to provide the calf with 24-hour intensive care, including feeding and monitoring its health condition, as the next few weeks is described as crucial for the mammal to improve its health and survive.

Conservation centre chief Nasaruddin Othman said the male calf was coping well to a dietary programme designed to meet its nutritional requirements so that it would grow up to be a strong and well developed adult.

"Kept in an enclosure, the calf is fed milk using a rubber hose three to four times daily. At first it was a little reluctant to drink but now it is gulping as much and as often as it wants.

"The calf is also fed fruits, including papayas. We need to ensure the enclosure and rubber hose used to feed the calf is cleaned regularly as at this stage it can be easily exposed to diarrhoea and other illnesses," he said, adding the calf consumes about 16 litres of milk daily.

Nasaruddin described the next few weeks as crucial for the 98kg elephant saying if the calf can blend well with its surroundings and eat well then it has a better chance to pull through.

"Usually, calves feel secure and comfortable by the presence of its mother, and in this case, it could take between three to six months for the animal to be assured that it is in good hands. Our caretakers are providing full attention and pampering it like a baby.

"Once it is comfortable with the surroundings, the caretakers will take the calf for daily walks in the nearby jungle before allowing it to mingle with the other elephants in the centre. I believe the other elephants will accept the newest member in the centre but it might take some time," he said, adding the calf may have come from a big herd from a nearby forest before it lost its way.

The pachyderm was spotted roaming by an Orang Asli man about 12.30pm on July 11 before a team from the centre was deployed to capture the animal.

The three month old calf is now the youngest mammal at the sanctuary which currently has a total of 28 elephants.

The oldest is Lokimala, a 70-year-old female elephant which arrived at the sanctuary in 1978 to help in the relocation of wild elephants.