Champakali with the two calves in Jaldapara on Tuesday. Picture by Anirban Choudhury

Alipurduar, Aug. 23: The pet elephant at Jaldapara sanctuary that has become the foster mother to a rescued calf has been taken off forest duties so that it can spend more time with the 15-day-old animal.

Foresters said Champakali will be kept near the calf at the Torsha east beat office campus so that the young animal gets used to it fast.

The calf that was rescued from a river in Bankura district last week was brought to Jaldapara yesterday.

Foresters at the sanctuary have named the animal Dwarkaprasad.

The calf was readily accepted by kunki Champakali that had even fed it twice yesterday.

Foresters said Champakali was taken to the rescued calf every two hours for feeding.

But when the elephant went to collect grass and did not go to Dwarkaprasad for nearly five hours, the calf began looking for its foster mother.

When Champakali finally visited the calf after returning from forest duty, Dwarkaprasad cuddled up to the elephant and refused to go away from it.

The vets looking after the rescued calf then decided to keep Champakali near the calf so that it can spend more time with its foster mother and get used to her.

Omprakash, the divisional forest officer, wildlife-III, said: “We have taken off Champakali from duty. She will not go to collect fodder from today because we want to keep the mother near the calf round-the-clock so that the calf can adjust to it fast.”

Foresters have also increased food ration for Champakali from today as she is feeding two calves now.

The kunki had given birth to a male calf four months ago.

“Champakali should have sufficient milk for both the calves. For that we have increased the quantity of nutritious food for the mother elephant,” Omprakash said.

The elephant will get 6kg of rice instead of 4kg, 3.5kg dal instead of 2kg, one truck grass and one truck full of banyan trees every day.

Foresters said today the 50-year-old elephant has fed the rescued calf twice.

Later, Dwarkaprasad was given milk powder mixed with glucose and water.

“If the calf starts getting the milk he needs from the mother, then we can stop giving him powdered milk,” said the divisional forest officer.

He added that if the calf gets enough milk from its foster mother then its immunity would increase.

Foresters said Dwarkaprasad had a little indigestion in the morning. The vets had administered medicines and the calf was doing well.