West Bengal: Fishermen Rescue Elephant Calf Swept 3 KM Down Teesta River (Videos)
Local fishermen in West Bengal navigated the raging currents of the Teesta River on Monday to rescue a 3-to-4-day-old elephant calf that had been separated from its herd and carried approximately three kilometers downstream, before helping forest officials safely reunite the young animal with its mother.
Two fishermen rescued a newborn elephant calf after it was swept nearly three kilometres downstream by strong currents in the Teesta River in West Bengal, according to an NDTV report. The calf had become separated from its mother while an elephant herd was crossing the river near the Malbazar subdivision. The fishermen followed the animal in their boat, pulled it from the water and informed forest officials, who later helped reunite it with its mother.
Elephant Calf Swept Away in Teesta
The incident took place near Spur Number 12 of the Teesta River, in the Malbazar area of Jalpaiguri district. The calf was struggling against the strong current after being separated from its herd. Reports from forest officials and other media outlets put the distance it was carried downstream at around four kilometres, while NDTV reported that the fishermen followed it for nearly three kilometres before reaching it. The calf was only around three to four days old, according to forest department officials cited by The Indian Express and India Today. Jabalpur Honey-Trap Video: Woman Caught Accepting INR 2.50 Lakh Extortion Instalment.
Fishermen Track and Rescue Newborn Elephant Calf
Such an amazing work. These are heroes.
Yesterday a small calf of 3–4-days was swept away by the Teesta River near Gajoldoba and found several kilometres downstream. While mother was looking after it. See how it was saved by fisherman and united with the help of forest staff. pic.twitter.com/LDxJVERvpn
— Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) September 22, 2026
This most beautiful photograph. pic.twitter.com/oEUh2FUzlw
— Aparna (@chhuti_is) September 22, 2026
A newborn elephant calf was swept nearly 5 km downstream by Teesta’s strong currents.
Our Forest team, with help of local fishermen, rescued the drowning calf and reunited it with its mother.
A beautiful story of rescue and reunion. 🐘#elephant #wildlife #IFS #forest #teesta pic.twitter.com/rvq7fpyMd2
— Mudit Kumar Verma IFS (@MuditKVerma) September 21, 2026
Fishermen Follow Calf Into Strong Current
The fishermen were on the river when they noticed the calf being carried away by the current. They turned their boat towards the animal and followed it downstream. After tracking the calf for several kilometres, they managed to reach it and pull it out of the water. The rescued calf was then taken safely to the riverbank and handed over to forest department personnel. Mumbai: Video Shows Dramatic Rescue of Woman Who Fell From 10th Floor in Bhandup.
Forest Officials Locate Mother
After the rescue, forest officials began efforts to locate the calf's mother and reunite the pair. The Baikunthapur Forest Division team coordinated the operation and provided veterinary care to the newborn before moving ahead with the reunion process.
Officials eventually located the mother and reunited her with the calf. Videos shared by forest officials showed the mother approaching the rescued animal after it was brought back to the herd.
Herd Was Crossing Teesta River
According to forest department officials, an elephant herd had been attempting to cross the Teesta when the calf became separated from its mother.
Divisional Forest Officer Mudit Kumar said the exact reason for the herd's river crossing was not immediately clear, although officials believed the elephants may have been attempting to cross the river. The swollen river and strong current carried the young elephant several kilometres downstream.
Rescue Video Circulates Online
Videos of the rescue and subsequent reunion have been shared widely on social media. The footage shows the fishermen reaching the calf by boat and bringing it out of the water. Another video showed the calf being reunited with its mother after the forest department's intervention. The rescue involved local fishermen and forest officials working together to bring the animal to safety.
The incident highlights the role of local communities and forest authorities in responding to wildlife emergencies, particularly in areas where elephant habitats intersect with rivers and human activity.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 22, 2026 06:09 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
