This is the heartwarming moment a mother elephant was reunited with her calf after it was trapped in a well.
The baby elephant had fallen down a muddy hole in Kerala, India, during the night while the herd was passing a village.
Villagers were woken up by the calf’s desperate cries for help and as they went to see what was making the noise they found the animal digging helplessly against the dirt in a futile bid to escape.
This baby elephant fell down a well in India during the night while its herd were walking past a village
In heartbreaking scenes, the creature digged helplessly against the dirt and swung its trunk around as it let out cries of anguish at being separated from its mother
Villagers brought in a digger to help with the rescue mission – and after five hours, the animal was free
As the rescue operation got under way, the herd waited patiently nearby to be reunited with the calf.
A digger was brought in to help and eventually, after five hours of work, the little elephant was freed.
In stunning scenes, the calf immediately sprinted towards its waiting mother, who emerged from the trees and waded through a river to be reunited with her baby.
And in a breathtaking move, the mother turned towards the rescuers and raised her trunk – a gesture usually interpreted in India as a thankful salute.
The herd greeted its calf with an endearing display of affection before walking off into the trees.
Villagers cheered as the family was reunited.
In stunning scenes, the calf immediately sprinted towards its waiting mother, who emerged from the trees and waded through a river to be reunited with her baby
And in a breathtaking move, the mother turned towards the rescuers and raised her trunk – a gesture usually interpreted in India as a thankful salute
The herd greeted its calf with a heartwarming display of affection before walking off into the trees