A sub-adult male elephant was rescued after being found with a tyre tightly lodged around its neck at Bukhial Tea Estate in Assam’s Golaghat district on Thursday morning.
The elephant was spotted near the tea garden while moving with its herd. A video showing the distressed animal soon circulated widely on social media, prompting authorities to respond.
Officials of the Golaghat Forest Division rushed to the spot to assess the situation and monitor the movement of the elephant herd.
A team from the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC), led by Dr Bhaskar Choudhury, Centre Head and Lead Veterinarian at the Wildlife Trust of India, also reached the site. Dr Biswajit Baruah, Veterinary Officer at the State Dispensary, Kohora, was also part of the rescue effort.
The elephant was chemically immobilised to facilitate the operation. The rescue team then carefully removed the tyre from around its neck, successfully freeing the animal.
Following the successful rescue, the elephant regained its freedom and rejoined its herd.
The operation highlighted the importance of timely intervention and coordination between forest officials and wildlife experts in protecting elephants during human-wildlife encounters.
