Shocking footage captures the moment an elephant was chained down during a traumatic birth, nearly trampling her calf in distress.
An elephant handler risked his life to pull the newborn baby from beneath its mother, after it had endured a difficult three day birth.
The clip shows the elephant in chains almost stamp on her new brood, as the mahout was swept off his feet trying to bring her under control.
Shocking footage captures the moment an elephant was chained down during a traumatic birth in Thailand – with one handler getting kicked trying to pull the calf to safety
The 16-year-old cow had been in pain for three days when the baby finally started to arrive on September 27 in Chonburi, Thailand.
Her legs were tied to each corner of her enclosure for her safety, and that of her calf’s, claim the elephant centre managers.
A mahout frantically tried to rescue the calf – which was tangled in the umbilical cord and beneath the frightened elephant’s feet.
But the mother delivered a powerful kick which sent him into the air and on to his stomach.
The cow struggled to stay on her feet but staff at the Nong Nooch Garden again tried to retrieve the calf, eventually bringing it to safety.
The elephant centre’s manager Patthanan Khantipsukphan said the birth had been a complicated one but both mother elephant and baby had recovered afterwards.
An elephant handler risked his life to pull the newborn baby from under its mother, after it had endured a traumatic three day birth. The mahout was kicked across the enclosure during the labour
She said: ‘The management, vets and mahouts attended the labour of 16-year-old spider, a taxi elephant at the park.
‘She was pregnant since December but over the three days before the birth she had abdominal pains and there was discharge.’
Explaining their fears before the birth, Ms Khantipsukphan added: ‘We were very anxious and tried to slowly bring about the labour but were not successful.
Distressing footage shows the elephant chained down and almost trample her new brood as the handler is swept off his feet trying to bring her under control
‘Unexpectedly the mother was in pain and went into sudden labour when the baby burst out and the cord was wrapped around it.
‘There was a big risk of the mother standing on the baby and injuring it because she was in pain and in a state of panic.’
During the birthing, one handler (mahout) was injured. The center manager said: ‘The mahouts were brave to get the baby out and one was kicked. He was injured a little but he’s OK.’
During the birthing, one handler (mahout) was injured. The center manager said: ‘The mahouts were brave to get the baby out and one was kicked. He was injured a little but he’s OK.’
Ms Patthanan said that this was the elephant’s first birth and had mated with a 22-year-old bull ‘of good breeding’.
She added: ‘It was not an easy birth because this was the mother’s first.
‘Vets took care of the baby elephant and his overall health is good. He was cleaned and tended to.
‘We are waiting for a ceremony to find the name and choose one that is sacred.’