Mamata names orphaned elephant calf ‘Lucky’

Alipurduar: In a heartwarming gesture, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee officially named a rescued motherless elephant calf “Lucky” on Wednesday.

She also announced a reward for Devesh Pandey, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Kurseong. The reward highlighting the dedicated efforts of its staff in wildlife rescue.

The tiny calf, just 10 days old, was rescued from the Mechi River along the India-Nepal border on October 5, when floods swept across North Bengal following continuous rainfall and water flow from Bhutan. The calf was subsequently brought from Kurseong to Jaldapara National Park for rehabilitation.

Its temporary home is currently the Holong Central Pilkhana in Jaldapara, where it has been under a 21-day quarantine since October 8. Veterinarians, mahouts, and forest staff are providing round-the-clock care. “By sheer luck, this little elephant survived,” the Chief Minister said, explaining the choice of the name ‘Lucky’.

Banerjee also praised the rescue efforts.

Devesh Pandey, the Kurseong DFO, expressed gratitude for the recognition. Talking to the Millennium Post, Pandey stated: “This award belongs not just to me but to every member of my division. Without their support, rescuing this calf would not have been possible. Our team had rescued two calves from the Panighata Range’s Kalabari Beat area of the Mechi River. While the elder calf was reunited with its herd, the younger one was rejected by its mother and at risk of starvation. Sending it to Jaldapara ensured it would find proper care and a surrogate mother. The calf is now healthy and playful — truly ‘Lucky’.”

She is being fed formulated milk (Lactogen-1) on a strict schedule and given necessary medicines. Gradually, under the Forest Department’s supervision, she will begin other activities as she grows.

Parveen Kaswan, DFO of Jaldapara Wildlife Division, said: “The calf is responding well to care. We are grateful to officials and local communities from both India and Nepal for their timely assistance, and to the coordinated efforts of the Kurseong and Jaldapara teams, which ensured the calf’s safety and well-being.”

The Chief Minister, inquired about the calf’s progress from the administrative meeting on Wednesday, commending the forest staff for their tireless efforts. ‘Lucky’ now symbolises hope, resilience, and the dedicated spirit of those who work to protect India’s wildlife.