An elephant rescued from swamp in Thevara

Tusker rescued from muddy swamp after 24 hours in Kochi
by Juhan Samuel

Kochi (Kerala): An elephant that fell into a muddy swamp at Thevara on Friday midnight near Kochi was rescued on Saturday night after 24 hours of rigorous rescue operations and concerted efforts by elephant enthusiasts, owners and rescue teams led by the Fire and Rescue Service. It was probably be the toughest day in the life of rescuers and the worst for the mighty 23 year old tusker Vishnu Narayanan, which got trapped in a marshy land in between the mangroves after being hit by a car on Friday midnight. Finally, after a painstaking operation with the help of basic available resources and timely medication, the tusker walked home with its mahout. Personnel of the rescue service and a team of mahouts sprayed water from hoses to keep the elephant cool from the scorching sun and to remove the slurry from the pit. In the hassle and bustle the tusker became weak and listless. Veterinary doctors present there provided him with ten bottles of glucose and other medication as and when required to keep it active and healthy, said District Veterinary Surgeon Dr. Giggin. The incident happened when Vishnu Narayanan, owned by the Polakkulam Group in Kochi, was being taken at midnight to the nearby Mattanchery Temple for a procession during temple festival, when a car hit him from the back. The mahout fell on the road and tusker sat on the bonnet, which incidentally burnt his rear. He, thereafter, ran amok at around 00.30 am on Saturday. Running around in pain, due to the injuries it suffered, the tusker created a panic situation in the city, said eyewitnesses. The tusker ran for seven to eight kilonmeters after breaking an apartment gate wall before it fell into a marshy mangrovenear the KSINC Boat Yard at Thevara in Kochi. Though fire and rescue service personnel along with the other elephant owners and locals tried to pull the animal out of the marshy land, they achieved little success. The rescue work continued throughout the day and lasted till Saturday midnight. Two Veterinarians -- Dr. Gireesh and Dr. Giggin were camping in the area throughout the rescue effort to offer medical support.
-Jan 25, 2009

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