Heartbreaking moment terrified baby elephant cries in the street after becoming separated from its dying mother

This is the sad moment a wild elephant calf took its first trembling steps to a safe shelter in India after it was separated from its dying mother.

The five-month-old was found crying and wandering around a coffee plantation in Chinnakanal town near Munnar in Kerala.

When locals found it, the young animal seemed to be frightened of the unfamiliar surroundings.

A team of forest officials ascertained that there was a herd of six elephants including two calves located a kilometre away.

However, when the officers took the calf to the herd to 'reunite' them, they did not accept it - and the calf didn't appear to recognise the herd either.

The baby elephant was placed in a safe cage as rangers patiently waited for its mother. But when she did not turn up, a patrol was sent out to find her.

It was then that they stumbled upon the carcass of its lactating mother.

Nibu Kiran, Devikulam Range Office said: 'My team of officials were informed about the calf on Tuesday. They reached the spot, rescued the elephant and placed it in a temporary holding cage. It was fed liquids.

'We waited for its mother and tried to identify the herd that the calf belongs to and reunite them. Two separate elephant herds were roaming in the area and we tried to ascertain if it belonged to any one of them.

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