WATCH: Devoted Mom and Baby Elephant Rescued from Drainage Hole in Dramatic Ordeal

Giovana Gelhoren
·2 min read
WATCH: Devoted Mom and Baby Elephant Rescued from Drainage Hole in Dramatic Ordeal

An elephant and her baby were saved in Thailand after getting stuck in a large hole during a dramatic, ultimately heartwarming ordeal.

The incident happened in the Khao Yai National Park in the Nakhon Nayok province on July 13, the New York Post reported. The rescue team was made up of veterinarians and park staff, according to The Guardian.

Initially, only the 1-year-old calf fell into the roadside drainage hole, with its mother standing watch nearby. However as rescuers arrived and anesthetized the distressed mom to calm her down, she fell into the hole as well, per Reuters.

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This handout photo taken and released on July 13, 2022 by Thailand's Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation shows an adult elephant with its head in a hole, during a rescue operation to recover an infant elephant that had fallen into the hole, in Nakhon Nayok province in central Thailand
This handout photo taken and released on July 13, 2022 by Thailand's Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation shows an adult elephant with its head in a hole, during a rescue operation to recover an infant elephant that had fallen into the hole, in Nakhon Nayok province in central Thailand

HANDOUT/Thailand's Department of Nationa/AFP via Getty Images

Rescuers then used a crane to lift the mother, who fell unconscious in the commotion. After they brought her to the surface, staffers jumped up and down on the animal's body in a form of CPR to resuscitate the elephant.

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Meanwhile, a construction digger created an escape route out of the 7-ft.-deep hole for the 1-year-old. Once free, the little one ran to its mother's side.

As it turns out, this was exactly what the mother needed: the calf began suckling and the mom quickly regained consciousness.

The mother elephant eventually stood up to cuddle her calf as the team moved away to allow the animals to return to the wild.

This handout photo taken and released on July 13, 2022 by Thailand's Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation shows an adult elephant being lifted away from a hole, during a rescue operation to recover an infant elephant that had fallen into the hole, in Nakhon Nayok province in central Thailand
This handout photo taken and released on July 13, 2022 by Thailand's Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation shows an adult elephant being lifted away from a hole, during a rescue operation to recover an infant elephant that had fallen into the hole, in Nakhon Nayok province in central Thailand

HANDOUT/Thailand's Department of Nationa/AFP via Getty Images

The rescue took more than three hours in the pouring rain, The Guardian reported.

Khao Yai National Park Department veterinarian Dr. Chananya Kanchanasarak later talked to Sky News about the incident.

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This handout photo taken and released on July 13, 2022 by Thailand's Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation shows an infant elephant standing next to a sedated adult elephant, following a rescue operation to recover the younger elephant after it fell into a hole, in Nakhon Nayok province in central Thailand
This handout photo taken and released on July 13, 2022 by Thailand's Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation shows an infant elephant standing next to a sedated adult elephant, following a rescue operation to recover the younger elephant after it fell into a hole, in Nakhon Nayok province in central Thailand

HANDOUT/Thailand's Department of Nationa/AFP via Getty Images

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Kanchanasarak shared, "Despite the obstacles, the mother did not leave her baby's side. This experience touched our hearts and will be one of the most memorable rescues we've done."