Bandipur: A female elephant, which was stuck in slush at Moliyuru Range at Bandipur Tiger Reserve, has been rescued by the Forest Department staff. The staff had to use an earth excavator machine to remove the elephant from the slush.

As it had rained for 3-4 days in Bandipur, the mud had dampened and also slush had formed. The female elephant, aged about 20 years, which had come to quench its thirst, had slipped and fallen into the slush and was unable to get on its feet as it was slippery. The elephant was lying in the slush and suffering.

The Forest staff, who were on their regular beat yesterday, saw the elephant struggling to come out of the slush. The staff immediately informed their higher officials and brought an earth excavator machine to the spot. They somehow managed to remove the elephant from the slush. 

As soon as the elephant got on to its feet, it turned towards the Forest staff, lifted its trunk, as a gesture to thank them and moved into the forest.

Bandipur Project Tiger Director S.R. Natesha, said that following recent rains, rain water is flowing into the water bodies which has created slush. The female elephant had got stuck in the slush after it had come to drink water and the staff, who noticed the elephant have rescued it. Hediyala Sub-Division Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) M.S. Ravikumar, Range Forest Officers (RFOs) Shashidhar, Sachin and Puttaraju and others took part in the rescue operation.