Poor Baby Elephant

My heart goes out to the poor baby elephant nicknamed Mat Chepor, taking after the name of the village he was found, who died today. The Perhilitan rangers found him after villagers complaint of destroyed crops. That was on Wednesday. The baby jumbo was chained while waiting for Kuala Gandah elephant translocation unit in Pahang to come and take him away.

It is believed he is looking for his mother who died of gunshot about a month ago. The rangers took charge feeding him, braving the rain and ravine. But that is not enough.

Today, Mat Chepor refused to budge when the Kuala Gandah Elephant Translocation Unit tried to bring him into the trailer that will transport him into a new home. The calf did not move even after two doses of drug and collapse two hours later. Mat Chepor died today and the veterinarian treating him speculated the baby jumbo was suffering from dehydration and exhaustion.

My BIG question, did the translocation effort followed the correct procedure? The baby must have still been grieving because it could not find its mother. Hence, the refusal to budge into the pick-up trailer that will take it away from the last place it saw its mother. Were the rangers given some guideline on feeding the baby elephant? Or else, it won't suffer from dehydration.

I'm sure everyone involved tried their very best to help Mat Chepor but their very best is not enough. There are probably some missing must-do procedures they should follow or more patience to coax the baby elephant into the pick-up trailer. Mat Chepor died a worthless death probably due to incompetencies. The poor, poor baby.