Keonjhar: A nearly month-old elephant calf that got trapped in a canal of the Kanpur Irrigation Project (KIP) near Jamudalak village under Champua range was rescued by forest officials late Wednesday night and reunited with its herd. Forest personnel rushed to the spot after receiving alerts from field staff and villagers. Officials found the calf stranded in the 3-4 ft-wide canal, while its mother trying to unsuccessfully to pull it out since around 8 pm.As the incident took place close to the village, a large crowd gathered at the site. Forest officials cordoned off the area and launched a rescue operation with the help of local residents. To facilitate the rescue, forest staff halted the flow of water in the canal and diverted it elsewhere. Under the supervision of assistant conservator of forest (Keonjhar) Sudipta Panda, the division’s wildlife team, rapid response team members and volunteers joined the operation. The reduced water current and clearing of steps along the canal aided the rescue effort. “The mother elephant eventually managed to lift the calf out of the canal using the steps,” a forest official said.The rescue, however, was not over. About 200 metres away, the mother and calf became trapped between a transformer enclosure and a garden fence near the village. Forest staff quickly intervened and guided them through a bridge into an open field within 15 minutes.Officials said the pair, which had become separated from the rest of the herd, later crossed a swollen stream and rejoined a group of 13 elephants roaming about 600 metres away. “The mother and calf safely reunited with the herd after the operation,” a forest officer said.